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What to Expect in 2026 on the Blog
A Guided Year of Scholarship and Creativity I wanted to keep my welcome post separate from my “What to Expect in 2026” post. I believe introducing the blog and outlining what to expect are two distinct topics. Typically, the “What…
Welcome!
Wendi Kavanaugh, PhD., is a Dallas native. Her academic journey reflects her passion for creativity, history, and storytelling.
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Confessions of a Storyteller: Hunting for Truth in History
My blog post is a couple of days late this week. It’s been a whirlwind. I’m writing from the airport at one of those weird tables with outlets and chairs with no backs. I guess it’s so you don’t get…
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How I Mentor
Mentorship is one of the most meaningful parts of my work as a university instructor. I’ve spent years teaching, advising, and guiding students through academic…
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My Summer Creative Teaching Experience:
Mind-Mapping in the Classroom This past summer (2026), I was asked whether I wanted to teach my Readings in Espionage course. I happily said yes.…
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What I Do with Student Feedback
(And What I Don’t) Teaching is a conversation. And that includes student feedback. This week, I looked at my summer evaluation reports. One student said,…
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How to Find a Good Mentor
What Good Mentorship Actually Looks Like Everyone needs a good mentor at some point in their lives; undergraduates often find themselves in the mentee role, seeking guidance from a professor, advisor, alum, or upper-level undergrads. A good mentor offers sound…
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What I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Taught My First University Class
The internet is full of “What I wish I knew before starting college,” but almost nothing about what I wish I knew before teaching college.…
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My Thoughts on Teaching!
All of us professors and lecturers have written and edited (more than once!) our teaching philosophies. But how exactly does that translate when we’re actually…
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Dressing for Academic Approachability or Authority
Earlier this month, I wrote about how academic style is political and about the differences in academic attire. Today, I want to examine how clothing…
