Anthony Vaughn, an associate instructor of English at Western Illinois University (WIU), earned an Associate’s Degree in English from Holmes Community College (Ridgeland, MS) in 2015, a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Education from Jackson State University (MS) in 2018, and a Master’s Degree in English from WIU in 2023. His areas of research include linguistic justice, African American Vernacular English (AAVE), code-meshing, and Black culture.

AV: At WIU, I primarily teach first-year writing courses, ENG 100 and ENG 180, though I have recently started teaching ENG 280 sections. My courses emphasize student ownership of language and writing, best practices in writing and research, rekindling a love for writing as a learned skill, critical thinking and analysis, and conducting and integrating research across genres and multimodal texts. It’s an exciting and rewarding experience helping students develop their voices and refine their skills.

M&L: What was your weekday routine like as an English major/minor?

AV: To be honest, I have what we would call a “trash memory” (patent pending), so I can’t fully recall the precise details of my weekday routine. However, what I do remember is a whole lot of reading and writing—an almost endless cycle of analyzing texts, crafting essays, and engaging in discussions that either deepened my understanding or left me questioning everything I thought I knew.

If I had to categorize my days, they usually revolved around dragging myself to class, armed with a survival kit: a fully loaded backpack stuffed with that week’s assigned readings, a stack of notebooks, and enough caffeine to power a literary debate. Between lectures, I was either holed up in the library, trying to decipher what these pioneers of language and thought were actually saying, or perched somewhere on campus, scribbling notes and brainstorming arguments for my next paper. But I wouldn’t change anything about that experience.

M&L: What were your weekends like?

AV: My weekends were great! What you have to understand is that the college I attended—Jackson State University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU)—was home to a lot of people I had known since childhood. While JSU attracted students from around the world, many of my classmates were people I had grown up with, from pre-K through high school, or others from the same school district. We weren’t just students; we were a community that had been studying together for most of our lives. And just as importantly, we had been throwing parties to break away from those studies for just as long.

Although segregation officially ended, there is still a lingering stigma in Mississippi—one I can’t speak on in other states since I only attended school in Mississippi—that there are “Black schools” and “White schools.” The schools I attended from pre-K to 12th grade were predominantly Black, so by the time I got to JSU, it felt like an extension of the world I had always known, just on a grander scale.

But it wasn’t all parties. Some of us hosted movie nights or got together for Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. We played Magic: The Gathering, debated comics, and lost hours arguing over which superhero could actually take down Superman. Others would spread the word about a church event, and you could always count on people showing up to help. There was a rhythm to it all—a balance of fun, community, and support. That’s how I spent most of my weekends, surrounded by friends, deep in conversation, engaged in games, or lending a hand where it was needed.

M&L: What book were all your English peers reading beyond what was assigned for class?

AV: I don’t remember a specific book that everyone was reading at the same time, but I do remember The Hate U Give (2017) by Angie Thomas being everywhere. People weren’t just reading it—they were talking about it. The story hit hard, especially with its take on police brutality, identity, and the whole struggle of code-switching. Whether in class discussions or just random conversations, it was one of those books that stuck with people.

M&L: What book changed your life as an undergraduate? 

AV: The Amen Corner (1954) by James Baldwin. We read it in my Linguistics class, and it was my first introduction to Baldwin and his work. That was hands down my favorite part of the class.

Reading that play felt like looking in a mirror. It wasn’t just a story but a reflection of identity, faith, language, and power in a way I had never seen before. I believe that play is what set me on the path toward my field of study: linguistic justice. It made me start asking bigger questions, like what does it mean to be Black in my voice? How does language shape identity, and who gets to decide which voices hold weight? The Amen Corner was more than a book for me—it was the spark that got me thinking critically about language, culture, and belonging in a way that still drives me today.

M&L: Where did you hang out on campus?

AV: The fifth floor of H.T. Sampson Library. For some reason, it felt like nobody but my friends and I ever went up there, which made it the perfect spot. We could hang out, eat, study, or even sneak in a game or two without anyone bothering us. It was like our little hideaway—a quiet space where we could focus when we needed to but also just unwind and be ourselves.

M&L: Where did you hang out off campus?

AV: If we weren’t at one of our houses—graciously allowed by our parents as unofficial hangout spots—you could usually find us at Northpark Mall or Comic Commander (which is now Van’s Comics in Ridgeland, MS) or Chick-fil-A.

Fun fact: The first time I ever had Chick-fil-A was in college—at 22 years old. I had been hanging out there for years with my friends but never actually ordered anything. One day, they finally noticed and realized I had never even tasted it. The look of absolute horror on their faces when they found out was priceless. You would have thought I committed a crime against fast food.

M&L: What was your biggest adventure as an undergraduate English major/minor?

AV: Student teaching in my final year—easily the scariest moment of my life. Up until then, everything had been theory and hypotheticals. But the first day I walked into Jim Hill High School with Dr. Gil, a National Board Certified Teacher, reality hit fast. She looked at me and said, “Here’s what we’re covering for the rest of the term. What would you like to teach?”

If you could have seen the fish face I made. Total panic.

I ended up choosing The Great Gatsby—and I have never studied so hard in my life for a book I can barely remember now. I took so many notes, made so many annotations, and prepped like I was about to defend a dissertation. To make things even more intense, I was teaching juniors, and this wasn’t just any class—it was an IB class. These students were only three years younger than me, and I was supposed to be the expert? Terrifying.

But honestly? It turned out to be one of the best experiences I could have had. It challenged me, pushed me out of my comfort zone, and forced me to step up in ways I hadn’t before.

(Oh, and Michelle Obama spoke at JSU graduation. I didn’t know where to fit that in, but I had to mention it somewhere.)