Jason McEntee

Education

Ph.D., English: American Literature/Film Studies, University of Kentucky (UK), May 2004.
M.A., English: Language and Rhetoric, South Dakota State University (SDSU), May 1998.
B.A., English/Education; Philosophy minor, SDSU, December 1994.

Academic Interests

American Literature (modern/postmodern literature; DeLillo and Pynchon studies; war literature, specifically Vietnam to present; Westerns; adaptation studies)

Film Studies (war films; Westerns; adaptation studies)

Professional and Technical Writing

Professional Development:

Council of Colleges of Arts & Sciences (CCAS), Portland (OR), November 2021.
SDSU Jackrabbit Philanthropy Academy, 2019.
Council of Colleges of Arts & Sciences (CCAS), Denver, November 2017.
SDSU Leadership Academy, 2013-14.
SDSU Department Head Retreat, 2013.
SDSU Educational Technology Center Active Learning Cloud Academy, July 2010.
Ohio State University Digital Media and Composition Conference, June 2006.
Michigan Technological University, Computers in the Writing Intensive Classroom Conference,
July 2004.

Expertise

American Literature

Film Studies

Writing

Academic Responsibilities

Department Head of English, 2012-present.
Acting Associate Dean, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, 2017-18.
Coordinator of Professional Writing, 2004-10; 2011-present.
Acting Department Head of English, 2010-12.
English Graduate Advisor, 2009-10.

Committee Activities

Served/serving on nine regional/national/international boards/councils/advisory groups.

Served/serving on over sixty committees at the university, college, and departmental levels, including, most recently, as Chair of the Ness School of Management and Economics Endowed Director search committee (2021-22), Chair of the School of Design Director search committee (2017-18), the Imagine 2023 Strategic Planning Committee (2017-2018), the SDSU College Realignment Task Force (2017-18), and the SDSU Quality Initiative for Assessment Steering Committee (2015-present).

Modern Language Association (MLA) International Bibliography (2019-present): Advisory Committee on the MLA International Bibliography, March 2019-2022 (three year term). By invitation from the MLA Executive Council. Appointed Chair for 2021-22. Work includes examining and assessing the direction and philosophy of the bibliography, advising the staff on policies and procedures, and helping to identify and recruit bibliographers. Field Bibliographer for the Festschriften Literature section, working primarily in the area of film studies, August 2012-present. Invitation based on my scholarly contributions to the humanities.

International EBSCO Literature Editorial Board (2017-present): Serve on twenty-person international advisory board; duties include: professional consultant for EBSCO’s international literature research database, guiding on specialty subject areas related to literature and film, writing blogs, and presenting webinars for the academic library community.

South Dakota Humanities Council (SDHC) Speaker’s Bureau/Scholarly Speaker, 2010-present.

2017 Project Consultant and Keynote Speaker, SDHC “Rapid City Area Big Read” (Tim O’Brien’s Vietnam War novel, The Things They Carried).

2007-08 Project Consultant, SDHC “The Big Read” (Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451). Duties included providing textual information and participating as a speaker, a discussion leader, and a faculty resource at the state-wide conference in Chamberlain (2008).

South Dakota Humanities Council (SDHC) Board of Directors (2013-15; 2016-17): Nominated and subsequently elected (August 2013) to the SDHC Board of Directors (re-elected for second term in July 2016 and resigned in good standing in June 2017 due to appointment as Acting Associate Dean at SDSU). Served as Grants Committee Chair, 2013-15 and 2016-17.

Literature and Medicine Group (2011-17): Coordinator, Literature and Medicine Group, Sioux Falls VA Health System, 2011-17. Led war literature and film discussions for VA hospital staff. Program Consultant, 2017-present.

Awards and Honors

2022-23 Dr. Harold and Barbara Bailey Award for Excellence in Academic Department/School Leadership
2022-23 Department/School Early Alert Award for Excellence
2019 MLA Award for Achievement: For Distinguished Contributions Made as Fellow for the
MLA International Bibliography, 2015-18.
2016 SDSU F. O. Butler Excellence in Service Award.
2015-16 SDSU Excellence in Departmental Leadership in Support of Veterans Affairs.
2014-15 SDSU Excellence in Departmental Leadership in Support of Veterans Affairs.
2013 SDSU Excellence in Departmental Leadership and Support of Honors.
2010 SDSU Victor Webster Phi Kappa Phi Faculty Lecture Award for Outstanding Teaching,
Scholarship, and Service.
2003 UK English Department Outstanding Teacher of Literature.
2002 UK Association of Emeritus Faculty Scholarship, $2,000, for excellence in teaching.
2000 UK English Department Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant.
1998 SDSU English Department Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award.
1998 SDSU Vera Way Marghab Award, $2,000, for outstanding graduate student essay.

Grants

2021 South Dakota Humanities Council CARES Grant ($5,000): GTA Support for Global Foundation Program specialist in the Writing Center

2008-18, SDSU Scholarly Excellence Award, $500-600.00, for conference travel.

2008 SDSU New Ideas Grant, $1100.00, for Research/Guest Lecturer Funds for ENGL/GS 380: Futuristic Communications.

2007 SDSU Griffith Faculty Development Award, $2000.00, for War, Virtual War, and Human Security International Conference, Budapest, Hungary.

2007 SDSU New Ideas Grant, $800.00, for promotion of the Professional Writing Minor.

2006 SDSU New Ideas Grant, $5500.00, for Research/Start-Up Funds for ENGL/GS 380.

2006 SDSU New Ideas Grant, $3500.00, for Digital Media and Composition Conference.

Professional Memberships

Modern Language Association (MLA), 1998-present

Work Experience

Administrative (at SDSU)

• Department Head of English, 2012-present.
• Acting Associate Dean, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, 2017-18.
• Coordinator of Professional Writing, 2004-10; 2011-present.
• Acting Department Head of English, 2010-12.
• English Graduate Advisor, 2009-10.

Faculty/Graduate Student

• Professor, SDSU, 2014-present.
• Academic Advisor, 2005-present.
• Associate Professor, SDSU, 2008-14.
• Assistant Professor, SDSU, 2005-08.
• Assistant Professor, Visiting, SDSU, 2004 (January)-2005.
• Lecturer, UK Robinson Scholars Writing Workshop, 2001-07 (summers).
• Research Assistant (for Dr. Gregory A. Waller), UK, 2001-02.
• Mentor, UK Writing Program, 1999-2000.
• UK Graduate Teaching Assistant and Writing Center Tutor, 1998-2003.
• SDSU Graduate Teaching Assistant and Writing Center Tutor, 1996-98.
• Weiser (Idaho) High School English Teacher, 1995-96.

Area(s) of Research

American literature; film studies; war literature and film (specifically Vietnam to present); adaptation studies.

Applications of Research

• Published 11 peer-reviewed essays/articles/reviews, including “Together, We Ride: Partners and Posses in the Contemporary Western Action Film” (with Sharon Smith) in New Riders of the Cinematic Sage: The 21st Century Western in Film and Television (2019) and “The Last Palace Standing: Mitchell’s Corn Palace and the Rise of an Iconic Sports Venue” in Iconic Sports Venues: Persuasion in Public Spaces (2016).
• Delivered over 75 peer-reviewed or invited lectures at local, regional, national, and international conferences and related proceedings.
• Directed 10 MA students to degree completion by thesis or written examination and served on seventeen additional graduate student degree committees.