Serenah Minasian

Dr. Serenah Minasian joined the Culver-Stockton English Department in 2026. She teaches an array of courses within English Studies. She specializes in non-canonical authors, pedagogy, British literature (specifically the Romantic Era), creative writing, women, gender, and sexuality studies, queer and feminist theories, Armenian studies, along with general education courses that create a space for non-English majors to belong.

Dr. Minasian’s major scholarly interest is in Romanticism—1785-1832 British literature, especially non-canonical authors and intersectionality alongside Romantic pedagogy. Her dissertation unpacked the necessity for engaging with new pedagogical approaches in literature classrooms via intersectionality, queer, and feminist theories that promote inclusivity, diversity, and equity in the classroom and literary conversation. She is an Elected Association Board Member of the British Women Writers Association.

Dr. Minasian has taught at numerous community colleges and universities and has a passion for creating a space in her classroom that provides each student with a place to have agency and have their voice be heard. She is currently writing a Southern Fiction novel and is undergoing peer review for two articles.

As a former college athlete and Graduate President of Sigma Tau Delta English Honors Society, Dr. Minasian has a passion for service and engagement. She has been awarded The Excellence in Teaching Award from Illinois State University in 2021, The Dr. Elizabeth Hatmaker Memorial Scholarship from Illinois State University for 2021-2022, The Sigma Tau Delta Appreciation Award from Illinois State University for 2021-2022, Awarded The George R. Canning British Literature Scholarship from Illinois State University for 2022-2023, and Awarded The Taimi Maria Ranta Award for Outstanding Teaching by a PhD Candidate Scholarship from Illinois State University for 2024-2025. Dr. Minasian has a deep love for teaching and creating a safe and accessible space in her classroom that enables all students to leave feeling respected and able to gain valuable knowledge that relates to them both inside and outside of academia.

Dr. Minasian is from Illinois and alongside her teaching has an Organic Coffee Shop, The Coffee Coop. She also has an Organic Farm that her and her wife (Alexis) maintain alongside their triple digit amount of chickens, ducks, turkeys, quail, geese, guineas, rabbits, goats, cows, cat (Diesel), and two rescue dogs (Tinley and Dinkey).