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Marti Wagnon

Assistant Professor

Writing, Lang and Lit, School of

Address:

Hemphill Hall 4121
Box 6935

Headshot of Marti Wagnon

Hey, y'all! I'm an Assistant Professor of English here in the School of Writing, Language and Literature at Radford University. The classes I primarily teach are technical writing related, though I do have experience teaching research / science writing, literature and even Appalachian Studies. My work primarily focuses on literacy / digital literacy, Appalachian technical communication and environmental rhetoric. You can find some of my work featured in Technical Communication Quarterly or within an upcoming collaborative book entitled Monuments Across Appalachian Virginia. When it comes to teaching, my deepest desire is to allow space for students to explore the world around them so they can better know themselves and the way they can impact their communities, whether it be here in Radford or beyond.

Relevant Courses

Professional Writing (ENGL 306): This undergraduate course introduces students to the most important professional genres within the workplace, such as instruction sets, memos, resumes, cover letters, executive summaries and a variety of reports. By the end of the course, students will leave prepared to effectively communicate within their field, making them an asset in their future careers.

Professional Writing Technologies (ENGL 308): This undergraduate course allows students to explore and analyze various online writing platforms, whether it be social media, vlogs / blogs and other relevant technologies.

Special Topics - Grant Writing (ENGL 406): This undergraduate course introduces students to grant writing basics, such as finding, applying for and submitting funding opportunities.

Professional Writing (ENGL 608): In this graduate course, students learn the basic tenets of professional writing genres and practice writing them in real-world contexts.

Digital Writing (ENGL 609): In this graduate course, students focus on revising and promoting their online professional presence.

Service Roles

Corridors Conference Committee Member: In this role, I collaborate with colleagues to help decide on a conference theme, write the call for proposals and review submissions for the conference, among other conference preparation tasks.

Appalachian Events Committee Member: To help promote the Appalachian Studies minor, I serve as the main contact and scheduler for any events related to Appalachian Studies. I collaborate with community and faculty partners, promote and schedule events and encourage students to learn more about Appalachia through enrollment in our program.

Select Publications & Presentations

  • "Ugh! Do I Have To? Teaching AI Literacy in the Appalachian Studies Classroom," Appalachian Studies Association Conference, Mar. 19-21, 2026.
  • "Disrupting Power: The Emotional Labor of Restorative Community Collaboration," Engagement Scholarship Consortium Conference, Oct. 6-9, 2025.
  • "Centering Community Voice: The Labor & Ethics of Community Generated Writing," Corridors Blue Ridge Writing Conference, Sept. 27, 2025.
  • "Beyond the Tall, Tall Trees: Reimagining Technology, Digital Literacy, and the Physical Landscape of Rural Appalachia," Appalachian Studies Association Conference, Mar. 22, 2025.
  • Wagnon, M., & Baniya, S. (2024). Protesting Locally, Impacting Globally: Rhetorical Narratives of Mountain Valley Pipeline Activists. Technical Communication Quarterly, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/10572252.2024.2441122
  • Sano-Franchini, J., Jones Jr., A.M., Ganguly, P., Robertson, C.J., Shafter, L.J., Wagnon, M., Awotayo, O., & Bronson, M. (2022). Slack, Social Justice, and Online Technical Communication Pedagogy, Technical Communications Quarterly, https://doi.org/10.1080/10572252.2022.2085809

Education Experience

  • Ph.D. in Rhetoric & Writing Studies, Virginia Tech
  • M.A. in English Literature, Radford University
  • B.S. in English, Radford University

Other Interests

In my spare time, I enjoy reading, working on my fantasy novels (about mermaids!) and spending time out in the mountains with my friends and family. My favorite hobby is scuba diving, and my two favorite places to scuba dive are Gray Quarry in Bristol, Tennessee and Roatan, Honduras.

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