Morgan Shiver, Western Michigan University

Morgan Shiver

Doctoral Student

Morgan Shiver is a Ph.D. candidate in English with a specialization in children’s literature at Western Michigan University. Morgan teaches a variety of children’s and young adult literature courses in WMU’s English department. In 2024, Morgan received WMU’s All-University Graduate Teaching Effectiveness Award. As a teacher, Morgan prioritizes community building, experiential learning, and student agency. She facilitates organic learning experiences through activities and projects driven by student-led inquiry, like a recent project in her Marvel-themed Youth Literature and Culture course that asked students to find a piece of Marvel merchandise and analyze it, considering the ways that it engages with young consumers. Morgan aims to make her classroom an inclusive, engaging space where students feel empowered to have a say in their own learning. Prior to her time at WMU, Morgan received her Master of Arts in English from Kansas State University, where she taught for two years as a graduate teaching assistant and was recognized with the Expository Writing Exemplary Teaching Award. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Alabama. Morgan’s greatest teaching inspirations are her parents, Janet and Todd, who instilled in her a lifelong love of learning.

Honorable Mention: Tasnim Musa Al-Naimi, Kent State University.