Graduate students in the English department offer their advice and counsel to undergraduates interested in a graduate degree of one kind or another. Here are our current graduate student mentors.

Aileen Tierney-  aileen-tierney@uiowa.edu

Aileen Tierney is a first-year English PhD student at the University of Iowa. She is interested in researching the intersection between 20th-21st century literature and technology. Aileen is originally from Louisville, Kentucky, and studied English at the University of Kentucky for her undergraduate degree. She has publication in Sarabande Books' forthcoming poetry anthology (Summer 2023.) 

Kathleen Shaughnessy- kathleen-shaughnessy-1@uiowa.edu

Kathleen Shaughnessy is a fifth-year PhD candidate, studying long nineteenth century British literature. Her work focuses on depictions of the gothic, science, and imperial fiction. She is currently the Senior Editor of the Iowa Journal of Cultural Studies and serves on the Textbook Committee. Before coming to Iowa, Kathleen earned her BA at the University of Pittsburgh, followed by her MA at the University of New Hampshire. Kathleen began working as an editor for the Research and Development office during her time at UNH, and she has followed this interest to the Writing Center at Iowa, where she currently tutors. Although Kathleen had never been to the Midwest prior to graduate school, she has found a welcoming cohort and department that has helped Iowa become her new home.