About Us

The Department of English and Fine Arts believes that critical and imaginative thinking and clear, effective communication are the foundations of outstanding leadership, both inside and outside the Air Force.

English & Fine Arts Faculty and Staff

Our cadets engage in literary texts spanning three millennia and numerous cultural traditions. They grapple with some of the most perplexing questions of the human condition: What does it mean to be human? What are the sources of human greatness and human depravity? Why do we yearn, through literature and art, to share our stories with others, and why is it vital to listen to these stories in a complex and interconnected world?

Ultimately, we aim to develop warrior-scholars whose conceptions of leadership are buttressed by wisdom—a wisdom captured and communicated by literature and art. Our department enriches the intellectual experiences of all cadets through a variety of opportunities, including:

• War, Literature, and the Arts Annual Jannetta Lecture
• War, Literature, and the Arts Journal
• Internationally ranked Forensics team
• Vibrant cadet travel and research programs
• Opportunities to explore the visual, musical and dramatic arts
• Symposia organized by the Air Force Humanities Institute
• Digital Humanities Center

POTENTIAL JOB ASSIGNMENTS

When you major in English at the Air Force Academy, you prepare yourself to join a long line of leaders throughout history. Our majors serve as pilots, navigators, missile officers, intelligence officers, maintenance officers, personnel officers, communication officers, and in many other fields. Some receive advanced degrees in English and return to the Academy as faculty members.
Majoring in English also prepares you for life beyond the Air Force. English was the course of study of Michael Eisner, former CEO of the Disney Corporation; General Martin Dempsey, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; Eric Shinseki, former Secretary of Veteran Affairs; Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas; and many other leaders in every sector of industry and public life.

CONTACT US

Kathleen Harrington, Colonel, USAF
Permanent Professor and Head
Department of English & Fine Arts
(719) 333-3930

Ashley Christ, Capt, USAF
Instructor, Deputy for Human Resources
Department of English & Fine Arts
Ashley.christ@usafa.edu
(719) 333-9593

Nicole Jerr, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of English and Advisor-in-Charge
Department of English & Fine Arts
Nicole.Jerr@usafa.edu