Delta State University recently announced Don Allan Mitchell, associate professor of English, as the chair of the Department of Languages & Literature.<\/p>\n
Mitchell had served as chair on an interim basis since July of 2014.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am both humble and grateful, and I appreciate the vote of confidence from Dean David Breaux,\u201d said Mitchell. \u201cWe have some outstanding new faculty in the division, in addition to great people like Mike Smith, Clint Tibbs and Susan Allen Ford, who have been here for a while. We will have more new faculty in the fall. It\u2019s a lot of fun to watch new people like Judith Coleman, Lauren Coker-Durso and Julia Calderon get their \u2018Delta Sea Legs\u2019 under them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cInvest in people, not programs,\u201d added Mitchell. \u201cThat was taught to me by the late, great Dr. R. Faser Triplett, and it is a constant reminder to me that if we hire good people, and give them the ways and means to succeed, greatness will occur.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mitchell said quality courses are available throughout the division.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf a prospective student wants small class size, and close, one-on-one mentoring relationships with professors, then the Division of Languages & Literature and the Delta State University family are\u00a0here for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
He received his bachelor\u2019s from the University of Virginia and his MFA from the University of Mississippi.<\/p>\n
At Delta State, he has taught Modern American Drama, Expository Writing, Composition, Introduction to Literature, and History and\u00a0Literature of the Blues. His research interests include blues literature and Mississippi literature.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 1928, the first diploma granted by Delta State Teachers College went to a graduate from the Division of Languages & Literature,\u201d said Mitchell. \u201cThus, we were there at the beginning. We are here now \u2014 we will be here, moving forward. We have a long tradition of excellence. As faculty, staff and students of the Division of Languages & Literature, we will continue to build on that long tradition, and continue to transform obstacles into opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n