Donna M. Decker
Professor of English, Coordinator Women in Leadership Program
EDUCATION
- B.A., English and Psychology, The University at Albany, SUNY
- M.A., English, Salem State University
- Ph.D., English, Northeastern University
COURSES TAUGHT
- Intentional Venom: Making Meaning of School Shootings
- Women Writers
- Fiction Workshops
- Creative Nonfiction
- Us vs. Them: Law and Literature
- Banned Books
- English Seminars: Resistance Literature; Monsters; Jane Eyre & Jane’s Heirs; Silences and Silencing in Literature; Retellings: The Danger of One Story
- Women’s Studies
- American Short Story
- Introduction to Literary Studies
- Introduction to American Literature
- Women in Leadership Seminar
- How to Write a Blog
RESEARCH INTERESTS AND AREAS
- 19th Century New Woman Fiction
- School Shootings
- 19th Century Women’s Fiction, British and American
- Contemporary Fiction
- Creative Writing
- Narrative Theory, M. Bakhtin
- Banned Books
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Programs)
- Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honor Society
- Society for the Study of American Women Writers
- 18th and 19th Century British Women Writers Association
- Sigma Tau Delta Convention, Louisville, KY. “Law and Literature." April 2017. Roundtable Chair.
- NCTE Conference. Atlanta. “Taking the ‘Ass’ Out of Assessment.” November 2016. Panelist.
- 12th Annual Diversity Institute at Plymouth State University. April 2016. Workshop Leader; “Empowering Girls 2015” Conference hosted by Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Middlesex Partnerships for Youth. Cambridge, MA. December 2015. Invited Speaker.
- Society for the Study of American Women Writers. Philadelphia, November 2015. Invited Speaker: “That’s Nice, Dear. Writing Creatively in the Live Free or Die State.”
- Sigma Tau Delta International Conference. Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 2015. Invited panelist: “Authoring New Books.”
- FPU Research Grant, 2016-2017: Fifteen Years project (summer 2017). $3080.80
- FPU Research Grant, 2015-2016: Fifteen Years project (summer 2016). $3542.52
- Whiting Grant: Research in England for Fifteen Years project, May 2016. $5695.00
- NEA Big Read. Grant Manager. FPU. $9500
- Whiting Grant: Research in Montreal for Montreal Massacre project, May 2009. $4897.16
- FPU Safety Committee
- FPU Administrative Hearing Board
- Steering Committee, New England Center for Civic Life
- FPU Admissions Ambassador
- Judge. First Year Experience Poster Session
- Judge. Submissions for Society for the Study of American Women Writers Conference. November 2018
- Judge. National Council of Teachers of English “Changing the Narrative” Achievement Awards. April 2018
- Judge. Submissions for Sigma Tau Delta International Convention. March 2018
- Judge. National Council of Teachers of English nonfiction and fiction submissions. March 2018
HONORS AND AWARDS
- Writing Residency: Hypatia-in-the-Woods, Shelton, Washington. June 9-22, 2019
- Writing Residency: Hemingway House, Hull, Massachusetts, April 2019
- FPU Research Grant, 2018-2019: $1975. Fifteen Years project (summer 2019)
- Sabbatical, Franklin Pierce University, Spring 2019
- 2018 Fellow, 3 Years. Initiative for Digital Education for Accelerated Learning (Davis Grant)
- FPU Research Grant, 2016-2017: $3080.80, Fifteen Years project (summer 2017)
- FPU Women in Leadership Award. March 2017
- FPU Student Government Faculty Recognition Award, Fall 2016
- Winner, 2016 Silver IPPY (Independent Press) Medal for Canada-East Best Regional
Fiction - Finalist, 2016 International Book Awards – Women's Issues
- Open Book Toronto Recommends: The Chilly Fall Reading Guide – Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You
- St. Joseph Central High School Evening with the Stars Award, April 2016, Pittsfield, MA
- Clark University White Ribbon Hero Award: to be awarded March 2016, Worcester,
MA - FPU Research Grant, 2015-2016: Fifteen Years project (summer 2016). $3117.66
- Whiting Grant: Research in England for Fifteen Years project, May 2016. $5695.00
NEA Big Read. Grant Manager. FPU. $9500
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
Publications
“Dismantling Tools.” South Central Review. Vol. 36. No. 2. Summer 2019. 114-130
Women in Literature by Alexis Burling, Content Consultant, Essential Library, 2016
“The New Feminists in Office: Senator-Elect Maggie Hassan.” Feature article. Ms. Magazine. Fall 2016 (Special Election Issue)
“Mad Me,” Civility in Presidential Election Discourse, Newseum Edition, October 2016
Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You. Inanna Publications and Education, Toronto, May 2015
“The Aftermath of Isla Vista.” Feature article. Ms Magazine. Fall 2014
Review of Janet Beer's edited collection, The Cambridge Companion to Kate Chopin (2009) LEGACY: A Journal of American Women Writers. Volume 27, No. 1, 2010
“Reading Books and Bodies: New Woman and Authority.” Chapter in New Woman Literature and the Body. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Press.2009. 89-118
ANY GOOD BOOKS? Book Review Blog on eRaven @ franklinpierce.edu
Ms. Magazine blogs: http://msmagazine.com/blog – search Donna Decker
Readings & Presentations
SPRING 2017: Host/Interviewer: “Democracy March Stories.” FPU TV
FALL 2016: Brattleboro Literary Festival; Fitchburg Public Library; Levi Heywood Memorial Library; (Invited) Keynote Speaker, Take Back the Night. FPU
SPRING 2016: (Invited) Melrose, MA Human Rights Commission and Melrose Women’s Commission; (Invited) Workshop Host. 12th Annual Diversity Institute at Plymouth State University, "Why Stories Matter: Beleaguered Masculinity, Entitlement, and Women”; (Invited) Literary Volunteers of the Montachusett Area; (Invited) International Women’s Day Speaker, Colby-Sawyer College; (Invited) First Parish Church Unitarian Universalist, Fitchburg, MA, “Good Morning, 2016. Let’s Rock Some Fierce Empathy!”; Forbush Memorial Library; Connecticut College, NECCL Issue Framing Workshop Co-Leader; Stevens Memorial Library Book Group
FALL 2015: (Invited) Simone de Beauvoir Institute. Concordia University, Montreal; (Invited) “Empowering Girls 2015” Conference hosted by Middlesex District Attorney and Middlesex Partnerships for Youth. Cambridge, MA, “Curate Your Life: Creating Your Own Story”; (Invited) panelist: “That’s Nice, Dear. Writing Creatively in the Live Free or Die State.” Society for the Study of American Women Writers. Philadelphia; Stevens Memorial Library; Creative Spirit: A Showcase of Women Writers. Berkshire Hills Country Club; Barnes & Noble Pittsfield, MA; Society for the Study of American Women Writers, Philadelphia; The Bookstore, Lenox, MA; Toadstool Bookstore, Peterborough, NH
SPRING 2015: (Invited) panelist: “Authoring New Books.” Sigma Tau Delta International Conference. Albuquerque; (Invited) American Association of University Women, Keene, NH chapter. Women’s History Month
SUMMER 2015: Local Author Expo, Athol Public Library; Toadstool Bookstore, Keene, NH
SPRING 2015: Book City, Toronto, Canadian Launch Canadian Launch of Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You; The Academic Minute (Northeast Public Radio, WAMC): http://academicminute.org/2015/08/donna-decker-franklin-pierce-university-personal-interviews/
Conferences, Speeches, Papers
Roundtable Faculty Chair. Sigma Tau Delta Convention, St. Louis. “Badassery, Books, and the #MeToo Movement.” March 2019
Performer. The Vagina Monologues. FPU. February 13, 2019
Moderator. Sigma Tau Delta Convention, St. Louis. Sessions on nonfiction, fiction
Panel Presenter. “Amply Endowed: Reading Big with Willa Cather.” Willa Cather Foundation
Roundtable: 100th Anniversary of My Antonia. Society for the Study of American Women Writers Conference, Denver, November 2018
Panel Presenter. “Speaking Her Truth, Power in the Telling: Narratives of Women Writing for Healing, Wholeness, and Re-formation of Sociopolitical Understandings of Sexual Violence.” Society for the Study of American Women Writers Conference, Denver, November 2018
Invited Keynote. “A Wild Patience Has Taken Me This Far.” Massachusetts Women in Public Higher Education Conference, Fort Devens, MA. November 2, 2018
Invited Speaker. “Predatory Publishing.” Closure 2018: Designed for All Learners Conference. Southern New Hampshire University, May 15, 2018
Invited Keynote. “Cover Me. I’m Going In.” New Hampshire Women in Higher Education Leadership. FPU. April 13, 2018
Roundtable Faculty Chair. “Plausible Dystopias,” Sigma Tau Delta International Convention, Cincinnati, March 23, 2018
Performer. The Vagina Monologues. FPU. March 8, 2017
Host. Indie Lens Pop Up screening Newtown, with panel following. FPU. March 7, 2017
Host/Interviewer: “Democracy March Stories.” FPU TV studio with faculty, staff, students. January 31, 2017
Cast Member: My Antonia Staged Reading. FPU (Big Read). October 22, 2016 & April 18, 2017
Roundtable Chair. Sigma Tau Delta Convention, Louisville, KY. “Law and Literature.” April 2017
Panelist. “Taking the ‘Ass’ Out of Assessment.” NCTE Conference. Atlanta. November, 2016
Invited Keynote Speaker. Take Back the Night. FPU. October, 2016
Cast Member. It’s On Us video. Spring 2016
Invited Speaker Melrose, MA Human Rights Commission and Melrose Women’s Commission, April 2016 by Melrose Human
Invited Workshop Host. 12th Annual Diversity Institute at Plymouth State University. Hosted by the Counselor Education and School Psychology Departments. NH
"Why Stories Matter: Beleaguered Masculinity, Entitlement, and Women.” April 9, 2016
Invited Speaker. Literacy Volunteers of the Montachusett Area. Fitchburg, MA. April 6, 2016
Invited International Women’s Day Speaker, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH. March 8, 2016
Invited Reader. Highbridge Hill Elementary School, NH. Read Across America. March 2, 2016
Co-Leader. NECCL Issue Framing Workshop. Connecticut College. Spring 2016
Invited Speaker: First Parish Church Unitarian Universalist, Fitchburg, MA. January
10, 2016. “Good Morning, 2016. Let’s Rock Some Fierce Empathy!”
Participant. Women’s Buddhist Retreat. Taraloka. Shropshire, England. July 8-15, 2016
Invited Speaker. Simone de Beauvoir Institute. Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. December 4, 2015
Invited Speaker. “Empowering Girls 2015” Conference hosted by Middlesex County DA Marian Ryan and Middlesex Partnerships for Youth. Cambridge, MA December 2015
Invited Panelist. “That’s Nice, Dear. Writing Creatively in the Live Free or Die State.” Society for the Study of American Women Writers Conference. Philadelphia, November 2015
Invited Speaker. “Authoring New Books.” Sigma Tau Delta International Conference. Albuquerque. March 2015
The Academic Minute. Summer 2015
Readings & Talks
Shelton Timberland Library, Shelton, WA, June 18, 2019
Groton Public Library, Groton, MA, May 22, 2018
Brattleboro Literary Festival, Brattleboro, VT, Fall 2017
Fitchburg Public Library, Fitchburg, MA, Fall 2017
Levi Heywood Memorial Library, Gardner, MA Fall 2017
Forbush Memorial Library, Westminster, MA, Spring 2016
Stevens Memorial Library Book Group, Ashburnham, MA, Spring 2016
Clinton, MA Book Group (Golden home), December 13, 2016
Brattleboro Literary Festival, October 2016
Fitchburg Public Library, Fitchburg, MA, November 15, 2016
Levi Heywood Memorial Library Presentation, Gardner, MA, September 28, 2016
Magnificent Seven Book Group, Athol, MA, September 13, 2016
Forbush Memorial Library Book Group, Westminster, MA. February 23, 2016
Connecticut College, NECCL Issue Framing Workshop Co-Leader, May 27, 2016
Stevens Memorial Library Book Group, Ashburnham, MA January 25, 2016
Stevens Memorial Library Presentation. Ashburnham, MA. December 7, 2015
Creative Spirit: A Showcase of Women Writers. Berkshire Hills Country Club, Pittsfield,
MA, November 22, 2015
Barnes & Noble. Pittsfield, MA November 21, 2015
WL 115 Women’s Studies class, FPU. November 11, 2016 – reading and signing
Society for the Study of American Women Writers. Philadelphia, November 5, 2015 --
reading and signing
Books & Cooks Book Group. Ashburnham, MA. October 31. 2015
Wine& Cheese Reading, The Bookstore, Lenox, MA. October 3, 2015
Temple Book Group, Temple, NH. October 1, 2015. Lisa Murray’s group
Book Divas’ Book Group. Ashburnham, MA September 16, 2015
Toadstool Bookstore, Peterborough, NH, September 12, 2015
Local Author Expo, Athol Public Library, Athol, MA. August 4, 2015
Toadstool Bookstore, Keene, NH. July 25, 2015
Book City, Toronto: May 29, 2015
Canadian Launch of Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You. Toronto: May 27, 2015
Bookworks, Albuquerque, March 19, 2015
