(Peru, Neb.) - Dr. Charles Hicks has been awarded the 2023 Teaching Excellence Award at Peru State College. He will be honored at the College- graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 6, at 10:00 a.m.

Dr. Charles Hicks joined the Peru State College faculty in 2018 and is currently an Associate Professor of English in the School of Arts & Sciences. He began his teaching career in 2010 at the University of Texas - Arlington, where he worked as Lecturer/Undergraduate Advisor/Assistant Director of First Year English until 2017, following which he became Lecturer of English at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. Dr. Hicks holds a PhD from the University of Texas-Arlington, a master- from the University of Texas-Permian Basin, and his bachelor- from Texas Tech University.

At Peru State, Dr. Hicks teaches courses such as English Composition, American Literature, Non-Western Literature, Creative Non-Fiction, Literary Theory, and Short Story. He has academy and departmental experience on campus as well as having many professional memberships. Hicks has participated in teacher-candidate preparation through the Praxis Prep Workshop, and he currently contributes institutional service at Peru State through his work on Academics & Curriculum, the Inclusive Curriculum Committee, and chairing a Faculty Search Committee.

As part of his nomination for the 2023 Teaching Excellence Award at Peru State, one former student wrote: “I still view the world through the lens of the teachings in his classes. Professor Hick- innovative style of teaching and attentiveness to the material had such a profound impact on me that I continue to talk about his teachings even after graduation.”

A current student wrote of Dr. Hicks’ teaching: “I have been pushed out of my comfort zone and challenged greatly, but there is no doubt I have grown immensely as a reader and a writer.” Student support of Hicks extends beyond the English department at Peru State as he was awarded the 2021 Excellence in Teaching Award from the campus chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success.

In addition to his campus contributions, Dr. Hicks has presented papers and lectures at many conferences across the United States since 2008. His scholarly work focuses primarily on representations of motherhood in science-fiction and horror films and literature. His articles have appeared in Hypatia,