With a commitment to the best poems, plays and fiction of the past and a keen eye on the literature of the present, the Mercersburg English department instills in its students skills in reading texts closely and critically. Simultaneously, we enable students to hone their writing skills by focusing on both the process of writing and the formal product.

Additionally, the English faculty cultivates vital critical thinking skills along with the capacity to voice those ideas by use of seminar-style classes. These seminars, where each student’s voice is valued, help engender sensitive and sophisticated listening skills as well. We pose questions that relate to life beyond literature, requiring students to think profoundly about themselves and society.

We require students to engage in research that tests their capacity to work independently and their ability to synthesize materials intelligently. The department produces an award winning literary review, The Blue Review, and hosts the Fifteen, a literary society comprised of the school’s top 15 seniors in English.

English Department Faculty