spotlight on honors

  A DAY IN THE LIFE... STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING HONORS FACULTY NEWS PHOTOS

honors faculty

Dr.  nancy mcEntire

 2010 honors faculty of the year

     
  Dr. Nancy McEntire, Honors Faculty

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Ph.D. Folklore, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 1990
M.A. English, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 1970
B.A. English and Spanish, Keuka College, Keuka Park, New York, 1968

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Dr. McEntire’s research interests include folk narrative, folk music, and folk belief. She writes, “I'm very interested in ‘the art of everyday life.’ Folklore celebrates the creative work of ordinary people, not just the ‘elite.’” In 2010 Dr. McEntire lived in Ireland, sponsored by a Fulbright grant, where she studied traditional music acquisition.

HONORS BEGINNINGS 

Dr. McEntire found honors classes to be a rewarding part of her undergraduate program, though there was no full-scale honors program to complete. Since she began teaching at ISU, she has actively taught Honors students in her regular classes, and she will soon teach her first General Honors course entitled “Legend and Belief” in the Fall 2009.

  Dr. Nancy McEntire, Honors Faculty

TYPICAL CLASSES TAUGHT

Dr. McEntire is excited to teach Legend and Belief, a popular 300 level General Honors class that was first offered in Fall 2009 and will be offered again in Spring 2011.

This course allows Honors students to read local and widespread legends, learn how to conduct folklore interviews, and visit legend sites firsthand.

ADVICE TO HONORS STUDENTS

“I would encourage honors students to take courses on ‘new’ topics, something they are unfamiliar with. This makes for a good intellectual ‘stretch,’ an important part of college life. Be ready, always, to be surprised!” -Dr. McEntire