An alumna of the School of Writing, Literature, and Film, Brittni Wisner reflects on her journey from Alaska to the College of Liberal Arts
Brittni Wisner
By Ellie Webb-Bowen, CLA Student Writer - March 26, 2025
As an alumna of the School of Writing, Literature, and Film (SWLF), English composition instructor and now interim head academic advisor, Brittni Wisner, M.A. ‘24, is a familiar face to many who frequently visit Moreland Hall.
Wisner grew up in Palmer, Alaska, and attended the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau, where she received her degree in English literature. Wisner started out majoring in early childhood education, but switched to English after discovering an unrecognized passion in literature.
“I took my first English class and realized that the courses were a great outlet for thinking and seeing things from new perspectives,” said Wisner.
Everything changed again when Wisner took a class on gothic literature while studying abroad in Germany. Instantly she became intrigued by what people are scared of and why. Wisner dedicated her academic time to studying “monster theory.”
“My undergraduate thesis explored the concept of monstrosity, from the gothic to the biopolitical,” explained Wisner. “Monsters in literature provide a key insight to culture and serve as barometers of society’s anxieties.”
After graduating from the University of Alaska Southeast, Wisner volunteered and travelled internationally, but returned to Juneau, working as an admissions counselor at the university. Going for a master’s in English was something Wisner always had in the back of her mind, and after five years in Juneau, she was accepted into SWLF’s M.A. program and moved to Corvallis.
In addition to teaching writing courses as a master’s student, Wisner continued her research into monstrosity. Her thesis, “Society Must Be De-Fenned: Early Modern Surveillance of Wetlands and Wombs,” earned her the prestigious WAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award. In her thesis, Wisner analyzes early modern understandings of wetland environments and their connection to early modern understandings of the biological processes of menstruation, gestation, and childbirth. Ultimately, Wisner reveals how these understandings of ecology and maternity inform each other in early modern wetland draining and state building.
Teaching was also one of Wisner’s favorite experiences as a graduate student. In combination with her unique research, Wisner earned the Lisa Ede Award for Excellence in Composition Instruction and was selected as an alternate for the esteemed Fulbright English Teaching Assistant award to teach in Norway. After graduating in spring 2024, Wisner became an academic advisor for SWLF, helping students navigate their own English and creative writing journeys.
"Helping students connect with and believe in their own ideas, as well as showing them how to communicate those ideas, is the most fulfilling part of teaching,” said Wisner. “I think a lot of students have trouble believing in themselves and the caliber of their thoughts. Assisting them in connecting with themselves is the most fulfilling aspect of both teaching and advising."