Introducing Professor Coral Lumbley

by Chloë Moore

We are so excited to welcome Professor Coral Lumbley to the English Department! After a successful search over this past school year, Prof. Lumbley will be joining us as our new Medieval specialist. She joins us from New York University; she received her PhD from the University of Illinois, and her B.A. and M.A. from the University of Texas, San Antonio. Her research foci include medieval cross-cultural studies, race in the premodern world, premodern trans/gender studies, ecocritical and environmental studies, and Welsh and Arthurian literature.

Those who have already had the pleasure of interacting with Prof. Lumbley know how exciting it is that she’ll be our newest addition to the Macalester community. Professor Lumbley was able to initially connect with students during the search process, and also visited campus during the week of April 18th to sit in on classes and share donuts with students. I had the pleasure of giving Prof. Lumbley a walking tour of Macalester (including explaining the lore of the campus bell, oops), and I could tell right away that she will be at home at Macalester. She also sat in on my course with Prof. Geng, Major British Authors, and, without advance knowledge or preparation, provided illuminating comments on the role of the River Dee in the Hester Pulter poem we were reading. Apart from being genuinely interesting (as I’m sure our nerdy Words readers will agree), this also shows just how smart and engaged she is.

During the upcoming fall semester, Professor Lumbley will teach two courses: ENGL 194-01 “The Language and Literature of Medieval Wales,” which will invite students to learn how and why J.R.R. Tolkien used medieval Welsh as the basis for his invented languages, and ENGL 294-06 “Reading Along the Silk Roads,” which explores literary and material connections between China, West Africa, and Iceland before industrialized travel existed. Both classes count in various ways towards the English major for either the Literature or Creative Writing track!

I had so much fun getting to know Prof. Lumbley over the last few weeks, and I can’t wait for everyone else to get to know her, too. While I unfortunately won’t be in her class next semester, I look forward to seeing her around our hallowed halls, and to hearing what literary escapades her students get up to! So, let’s all make her welcome, and get ready to learn from the best! Huzzah!*

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*This is the author’s best attempt at Old English. Sorry.