University College

Marjorie Ross Church is an interdisciplinary educator who has taught courses in cultural studies, diversity, peace, English literature, and composition. She is a proponent of peace education, a believer in social justice, and a fierce ally for those from marginalized groups. She has worked closely with students from all around the world and strongly advocates for intercultural engagement, urging students to seek every opportunity to learn about global cultures by any means available to them. She often reminds students that intercultural proficiency, or the ability to recognize and appreciate cultural differences, is not exclusively learned through travel, nor does travel ensure that one will increase one's intercultural skills. She believes that in today's increasingly global society it is more important than ever to broaden one's knowledge and understanding of culture, including one's own, and that doing so is essential in order to achieve more peace in our world.

Marjorie's current research focuses on the teaching of peace in the English classroom; she has developed curricula that incorporate peace pedagogies as well as feminist and critical perspectives. She believes that any academic discipline can be a site for teaching peace, whether it be teaching for peace, about peace, or through peaceful means.

Marjorie is an amateur beekeeper, a writer, a freelance editor, a mother of three, and a servant to four very spoiled cats. She is a three-time graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, earning a PhD in Educational Studies with a concentration in Cultural Studies, a Master of Arts in English Literature with an emphasis on Publishing and Editing, and a Bachelor's degree in English and Psychology. She is also a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory.