Contact Information

Department of English
College of Liberal Arts & Education
University of Detroit Mercy
4001 W. McNichols Road
Detroit, MI 48221-3038

hillvahe@udmercy.edu
313 578-0572

Education

Ph.D., English, University of Washington, June 1997

M.A., English, University of Washington, March 1991

B.A., English and Interdisciplinary Medieval Studies, Mount Holyoke College, May 1989

Courses Taught – Assistant Professor, University of Detroit Mercy, August 2003-present

English 465/Honors 458 - Body to Text: Gender and the Construction of Spiritual Companionship in Medieval and Modern Literature

English 375: Film Genres - The Middle Ages on Film

English 321: Renaissance Literature

English 320: Medieval Literature

English 245: The Study of Poetry

English 235: The Study of Fiction

English 204: Introduction to Business Writing

English 131: Academic Writing

Publications

Article (solicited): "Pilgrimage in Medieval Drama." The Brill Encyclopedia of Medieval Pilgrimage ( Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill Academic Publishers). Forthcoming 2007.

Book: Sacred Players: The Politics of Response in the Middle English Religious Drama. Forthcoming from The Catholic University of America Press, March 2007.

Article: "Chaucer's Wife of Bath, Hoccleve's Arguing Women and Lydgate's Hertford Wives: Lay Interpretation and the Figure of the Spinning Woman in Late Medieval England." Forthcoming in Florilegium: an Annual Devoted to the Ancient and Medieval Cultures of Europe, North Africa, and the Near East , 2007.

Review (solicited): Saints and the Audience in Middle English Biblical Drama by Chester N. Scoville ( Toronto: Toronto University Press, 2004). Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies, October 2006.

Article: "Reforming Response: Reception Aesthetics in the Chester Cycle." Publications of the Medieval Association of the Midwest 8 (2001-03, July 2003): 120-60.

Article: " 'The precious body of Crist that they treytyn in ther hands': 'Miraclis Pleyinge' and the Croxton Play of the Sacrament." Early Theatre 4 (2001): 53-72.

Article (solicited): "The Possibilities of Performance: A Reformation Sponsorship for the Digby Conversion of Saint Paul." Records of Early English Drama Newsletter 22:1 (1997): 2-20.

Review (solicited): The Language of Old and Middle English Poetry by G. A. Lester (London: Macmillan, 1996) in The Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature, Spring 1997.

Publication Work in Progress

"The Power of Two: The Spiritual Voices of Gender in Late Medieval Mystical Narratives." Book-length manuscript.

"Looking Beyond the Conventions: Analyzing Print Advertisements in the First-Year Composition Class." Pedagogical research essay.

Presentations

"The Diabolical Femininity of Performance: Audience Response and Protestant Polemic." Invited Lecture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, March 2007.

"One Step in the Critical Thinking Process: Analyzing Ads in a First-Year Academic Writing Course." Guest Speaker, Instructional Design Studio Faculty X-Change, University of Detroit Mercy, November 2006.

"The Hertford Wives: Spinning Women and Interpretive Rebellion in Late Medieval England," Guest Speaker, College of Liberal Arts and Education Faculty Colloquium, University of Detroit Mercy, March 2006.

" 'To Make You a Man We Do Intend': Catholic Mothering and Protestant Manhood in English Reformation Drama" at the Medieval and Renaissance Forum, Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH, April 2005.

" 'Her soule ever after this day to scourge': The Vanquishing of 'Feminine' Response in The Life and Repentaunce of Marie Magdalene" at the New College Conference on Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Sarasota, FL, March 2004.

"Resistance to Revisionary Historiography: A Reformation Model" at the Convention of the Modern Language Association, New York, NY, December 2002.

"Distaffs and Ploughs: Gender as Performance in Lydgate's Mumming at Hertford" at the International Congress on Medieval Studies, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, May 2002.

"Bending Gender: St. Distaff's Day and Sacred Performance in the Digby Killing of the Children" at the Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, November 2001.

"Female Piety and Presence in the Digby Killing of the Children" at the International Congress on Medieval Studies, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, May 2001.

"Erotic and Spiritual Desire in the Life of Christina of Markyate" at the Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, November 2000.

"The Medieval City as Sacred Space: Spiritual Transformation in York" at the Image Conference on Christianity and Literature, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA, October 2000.

"Chaste, Yet Forever Sexual: The Holy Female Body in Twelfth-Century England" at the Interdisciplinary CAES Conference, Ball State University, Muncie, IN, October 2000.

"Mystical Work and Spiritual Labor in the Digby Mary Magdalene" at the Meeting of the Group for Early Modern Cultural Studies, Florida International University, Coral Gables, FL, October 1999.

"Reading Christina: Reformative Mysticism in the Life of Christina of Markyate" at the Convention of the Modern Language Association, San Francisco, CA, December 1998.

"Reforming Mary: The Magdalene as Catholic and Protestant Role Model" at the Fourteenth Annual Conference of the Medieval Association of the Midwest, Kent State University, Canton, OH, September 1998.

"Sanctifying Space, Sanctifying Work: Spiritual Profit in the York Cycle" at the International Congress on Medieval Studies, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, May 1998.

"The Tretise of Miraclis Pleyinge as Revisionist Text: Disputing the 'Pleyinge' of Christ's Body" at the Convention of the Modern Language Association, Toronto, Ontario, December 1997.

" 'The Preciose Iowel of Gods Word Ioyned With Other Sublime Connying and Knowledge': Alchemy, Puritanism, and the Digby Plays" at the Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association Conference, Eastern Washington University, Spokane, WA, October 1995.

"The Possibilities of Performance: A Reformation Sponsorship for the Digby Conversion of Saint Paul?" at the International Colloquium, Société Internationale Pour L'Étude Du Théâtre Médiéval, Toronto, Ontario, August 1995.

"Shaping Audience Roles in the Chester Cycle: Expositor as Proto-Reformist Guide" at the International Congress on Medieval Studies, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, May 1995.

"Cultural, Didactic, and Ideological Mediation in Late Medieval Drama" at the International Congress on Medieval Studies, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, May 1994.

"Exhibitionist, Enabler, Narrator: Margery Kempe and East Anglian Sprituality" at the Medieval Association of the Pacific Conference, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, March 1994.

"Processes of Marginality: The "Poeta" Figure and the Shifting Religious Ideologies of Late Medieval and Early Reformation England" at the Conference of the Center for Medieval and Early Renaissance Studies, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, October 1993.

" ' Herba Florida': The Language of Twelfth-Century Reform Ideology" at the Ninth Annual Conference of the Medieval Association of the Midwest, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, September 1993.

"A Highly Self-Conscious Mysticism: Nominalist Influences in the Book of Margery Kempe" at the International Congress on Medieval Studies, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, May 1993.

"Christianity's Symbols and the Power of Discernment in Piers Plowman" at the Medieval Association of the Pacific Conference, University of California, Irvine, CA, February 1992.

Committee, Service, and Advising Work - University of Detroit Mercy

Administrative Positions
Director, Women's Studies Program, 2006-2007
Co-Director, Women's Studies Program, 2005-2006

UDMPU and MFA
University of Detroit Mercy Professors ' Union Board Secretary, 2006-present
Student Absence Policy (McNichols Faculty Assembly) Ad Hoc Committee, 2006
University of Detroit Mercy Professors ' Union Board Representative, 2005-present
McNichols Faculty Assembly Representative, 2005-present
McNichols Faculty Assembly Undergraduate Standards Committee, 2005-present
University of Detroit Mercy Professors' Union Professional Negotiating Committee (Contract Negotiations), 2004
University of Detroit Mercy Professors' Union Board Faculty Action Committee, 2003-2004

Department of English
Judge, Dudley Randall Student Poetry Contest, 2007
First-Year Composition Goals and Objectives Sub-Committee, 2006-2007
Search Committee, Director of Composition, 2006
Interview Committee, African American Literature Position, 2005
Senior Portfolio Sub-Committee, 2004-2005
Literature Courses Assessment Sub-Committee, 2004-2005
Search Committee, Director of Composition, 2004
Assessment Committee, 2003-2004
Portfolio and Curriculum Committee, 2003-2004
Entrance Exam Evaluator and Composition Portfolio Evaluator, Department of English, 2004 & 2006

Women's Studies Program
Program Assessment Committee, 2007
Co-Organizer, Straight Ahead Jazz Trio performance, March 2007
Gallery Monitor, Art Exhibit, Women of Peru & Co-Organizer of Monitor Schedule, March 2007
Organizer, Dr. Elizabeth Cole presentation at the University of Detroit Mercy, February 2007
Coordinator and Writer, Women's Studies Newsletter, February 2007
Women's and Gender Studies Minor Development Committee, 2006-2007
Co-Author, Women's and Gender Studies Minor Proposal, 2006-2007
Co-Author and Editor, Women's Studies Program Development Document, 2006-2007
Co-Organizer, Women's Studies Program Awards Reception, 2006-present
Designer, Women's Studies Program Awards Reception Program, 2006
Women's Studies Program Budget Manager, 2006-present
Women's Studies Program Assessment Sub-Committee, 2005-present
Co-Coordinator, Women's Studies Program Writing Competition, 2005-present
Designer, Women's Studies Program Writing Competition Flyer, 2006
Organizer, Sister Jeannine Gramick presentation at the University of Detroit Mercy, 2005
Coordinator and Writer, Women's Studies Newsletter, 2005
Women's Studies Representative, Student Environmental Club Annual Earth-Fest, 2005
Judge, Women's Studies Writing Competition, 2004-present
Women's Studies Steering Committee, 2003-present
Gallery Monitor, Women's Studies Program Art Show, 2006
Supervisor, Women's Studies Work Study, 2005-present
Women's Studies Development Committee, 2004-2005

Student Advising
English Major and Secondary Education Advisor, 2005-present
Women's Studies Certificate Program Advisor, 2004-present
Graduate Studies in English Advisor, 2004-present
Organizer, Graduate Studies Colloquia, Department of English, 2004-present

Other Committee Work
Child Care Exploratory Committee, 2006-2007
Organizer, Child Care Exploratory Electronic Survey (for Child Care Exploratory Committee), December 2006
Academic Committee on the Status of Women (ex officio, Women's Studies Program Liaison), 2006-2007
Faculty Development Committee, 2004-2005
Domestic Violence Committee and Women's Studies Liaison to Domestic Violence Committee, 2004-2005
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship Committee, 2004
Child Care Committee (Chair), 2003-2004
University Faculty Scholarship Committee, 2003-2004

Other Professional Activities - University of Detroit Mercy

Delegate, Heartland-Delta Conference, John Carroll University, Cleveland, OH, May 2007

Moderator, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Roundtable, Solving Instructional Issues Through Technology Conference, Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI, April 2007

Volunteer, College of Liberal Arts and Education Honors Convocation, March 2007

Participant, “Vital to the Mission and Key to Survival”: A Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Workshop for Faculty and Administrators, Beloit College, Beloit, WI, October 2006

Participant, "Effective Grading: A Tool for Learning and Assessment," UDM Assessment Team and Faculty Development Team Workshops, 2006

Volunteer, "Shout Out! Young Poets Rising," A Spoken Word Competition Held in Honor of the 40 th Anniversary of Broadside Press, 2005

Participant, National Women's Studies Association Conference, Orlando, FL, 2005

Co-Organizer, Faculty Research Day (Symposium Highlighting Academic Research Excellence), 2005

Department of English Liaison, Campus Connection, 2004-present

Faculty Evaluator of English Department Adjunct Instructors, 2003-present

Contributor, English Department Newsletter – Graduate Studies in English Information and Advice; Report on Graduate Studies Colloquia, 2004

Designer, Joint Curriculum Assignment for ENL 321 and ENL 245, 2004

Judge, Ethics Bowl, 2004

Department of English Research Group, 2003-2004

Instructor, Prologues, Transitions, and Viewpoints: First-Year Student Orientation, 2003

Recent Awards and Grants - University of Detroit Mercy

Mellon Grant Fund Research Award, College of Liberal Arts and Education, 2008

Mellon Grant Fund Research Award, College of Liberal Arts and Education, 2005-2006

Teaching with Technology Academy (TWTA) Award, 2005

Jesuit 100 Faculty Summer Stipend for Course Development, 2004

Mellon Grant Fund Research Award, College of Liberal Arts and Education, 2004-2005

Grant for Advancement of Feminist Scholarship Award, Women's Studies Program, 2004