Melissa Adams-Campbell
Melissa Adams-Campbell, an assistant professor of English at Northern Illinois University, has been named the inaugural recipient of the Schriber Scholar Award.
The award, established by professor emeritus Mary Suzanne Schriber, advances studies in women’s literature and language taking gender into account. The award, which also provides funding for graduate students in addition to a faculty fellow, was established to honor the memory of her mother, who influenced her interest and passions.
Full associate and assistant professors of English at NIU who demonstrate ongoing teaching and research in women’s literature, gender or feminist theory are eligible for award consideration.
“I am delighted to be chosen as the first Schriber Scholar,” Adams-Campbell said. “As a pre-tenured faculty member, the award will have a powerful impact on my future research and teaching agendas.”
Adams-Campbell joined NIU in 2011 as an assistant professor of English, teaching American literature, Native American oral traditions and American ethnic literature. She has served on several departmental committees, including undergraduate studies and scholarship applications. She has also been selected to lead an Honors Study Abroad Program to Montreal beginning this year.
As a Schriber Scholar, Adams-Campbell will devote significant time to her second book project on Native American women’s historical fiction.
Mary Suzanne Schriber
In conjunction with the award, she would like to offer a graduate seminar on women’s historical fiction where students could present their research as part of a panel discussion followed by a keynote lecture.
“As a separate feature of the seminar, I would like to have graduate students lead a book club for DeKalb community members and interested undergraduates,” Adams-Campbell said. “This reciprocal sharing of interests, research and knowledge would obviously benefit students, but making knowledge accessible to the community is also beneficial.”
Schriber joined the Department of English in 1967 and revised American literature courses to include works by forgotten women writers.
She published two anthologies, two reprints of women’s books and two books on gender and writing. Her most recent publication, “Writing Home: American Women Abroad, 1830-1920,” was the first book-length study of the travel writing of American women. She retired in 2001, after 33 years of teaching.
