Kelly Sassi
Assistant Professor
M.A., English Literature
B.A., English Literature
Ph.D., English and Education
Kelly (Kel) Sassi taught high school English for six years in Fairbanks, Alaska before pursuing a PhD at the University of Michigan. After graduating from the Joint Program in English and Education, she taught at North Dakota State University for 14 years, attaining the rank of full professor and also serving as Director of the Red River Valley Writing Project. Kel takes an inquiry stance in the classroom, where she finds no shortage of research questions. Many of her research projects—such as studying writing assessment at Sitting Bull College—are in service to the people who invite her to collaborate. These experiences have shaped a philosophy that envisions research, teaching, and service as interrelated activities that can be leveraged for social justice purposes. Kel has written several grants that support her interests in English education, writing studies, and Native American/American Indian literatures and pedagogies.
Teaching Specialties & Research Interests:
- Secondary English Education
- English Literature
