Skip to main content

Michelle Wagnon

Assistant Professor

Writing, Lang and Lit, School of

Address:

Hemphill Hall 4121
Box 6935

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)

Professional Writing (ENGL 608)

Service Roles

Community Housing Partners (CHP) Grant Coordinator: In this role, I developed and revised internal policy documents, facilitated staff training sessions and supported grant writing initiatives that serve affordable housing communities across the Southeast.

Food, Water, and Communities Blog (Virginia Tech) Senior Editor: I mentored graduate students through the publication process for a digital community storytelling project. I also provided editorial feedback, facilitated weekly writing check-ins and collaborated on story selection with the editorial board.

Select Publications & Presentations

  • "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
  • "Protesting Locally, Impacting Globally: Rhetorical Narratives of Mountain Valley Pipeline Activists." SciConn, Virginia Tech, Feb. 22, 2023.
  • 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
  • "(Re)Imagining, (Re)Learning, (Re)Inventing GTA Ethos Pre and Post Pandemic." Corridors: The Blue Ridge Writing and Rhetoric Conference, Blacksburg, Virginia, Oct. 1, 2022.
  • "Incorporating Appalachian Identity into Teaching and Writing: A roundtable discussion on how Appalachian instructors and scholars negotiate their intersectional identities as teachers and researchers." Conference of College Composition and Communication, Mar. 8-11, 2022.

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.

Apply NowPlan a Visit