Dr. Jennifer Thomas

After receiving her B.A. in English at Furman University, Jennifer Thomas earned the Ph.D. in English and Women's Studies at Emory University. As a postdoctoral Lilly Fellow in the Arts and Humanities (Valparaiso University) and at Newberry College here in South Carolina, Jennifer's teaching and scholarship focused on American Literature and Southern Studies. She joined the Governor's School faculty when the residential high school opened in 1999. In 2003, she was selected to participate in a National Endowment for the Humanities seminar on Mozart's German operas, held in Vienna, Austria. She was awarded National Board Certification in Language Arts for Adolescents/Young Adults in November 2004. She co-sponsors the Reel Alternatives film series, and she is the sponsor of the Honor Council.

"What makes me feel good about working here? The students. From the first nervous (or bold) claims in a junior humanities class, to the rich discussions in senior English classes, to the casual conversations in the hall, being around these students is always interesting and often challenging, in the best way. They are sincere in ways most of my college students weren't. They have a pretense-radar that is so finely tuned, it detects even the slightest resemblance to a pose."