Gabrielle Isabel Kelenyi

What I study and why: I study community literacies, which means that I investigate writers and writing in the context of their communities. My research questions are motivated by a deep belief in everyone’s writerly potential and grounded in my own cultural and life experiences as a daughter, sister, partner, and mother; as an educator in secondary, postsecondary, and community settings in the U.S. and abroad; as a writer; and as a multiracial woman navigating the academy. In my research endeavors, I prioritize collaborating with communities, validating and elevating writers’ unique writing processes and development, and building positive bridges between universities and communities around writing.

What I will be teaching in the fall: ENG 100 Academic Writing and ENG 240 Introduction to Writing and Rhetoric

What students can expect from me: Students in my courses can expect to use their personal knowledge—knowledge that comes from their cultures, families, and personal experiences—as a valuable base from which to learn and write. In this way, I strive to work with students to cultivate positive habits of mind for lifelong learning.

I’m excited to be here because: I really loved being a student at a small liberal arts college, so I’m excited to now teach at a small liberal arts college! The opportunity to engage, learn, and collaborate with other committed scholars and dedicated undergraduate students is why I’m excited to join the Lafayette community. 

Getting to know me: I’m a Posse alum! It feels like I’m coming full circle to join the faculty at a Posse school and get to engage with new generations of Posse Scholars.

Continue reading to meet more of Lafayette’s newest faculty members.