Liberal Studies Faculty

Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences

Michael Cornelius, Ph.D., received his doctorate from the University of Rhode Island and specializes in early British literature. He teaches courses in Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Arthurian literature. He is also a recognized authority on Nancy Drew and juvenile detective fiction.

Cornelius has published extensively in scholarly journals, including Fifteenth-Century Studies, Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Teaching, CLUES, Journal of Children in Popular Culture, Journal of Girlhood Studies, Pennsylvania Literary Journal, EAPSU Journal, Journal of the Georgia Philological Association, and SCOTIA: A Journal of Scottish Studies.

He is the author or editor of 22 books, among them “Edward II and a Literature of Same-Sex Love: The Gay King in Fiction, 1590-1640” (2016); “Spartacus in the Television Arena: Essays on the Starz’ Series” (2014); “Of Muscles and Men: Essays on the Sword and Sandal Film” (2011); “The Boy Detectives: Essays on the Hardy Boys and Others” (2010); “Nancy Drew and Her Sister Sleuths: Essays on the Fiction of Girl Detectives” (co-editor, Melanie Gregg, 2008); and three volumes in Harold Bloom’s classical studies series: “John Donne and the Metaphysical Poets” (2008); “Geoffrey Chaucer” (2007); and “Shakespeare Through the Ages: Much Ado 91ɫ��Ƭ Nothing” (2010).

Professor of Philosophy

John Elia, Ph.D., is the Thérèse Murray Goodwin ’49 Chair in Philosophy at 91ɫ��Ƭ. His specialty is in ethics and applied ethics, with special interests in environmental philosophy, social and political philosophy, and comparative philosophy. His World Philosophy course uses an open-access textbook he wrote with the generous support of Wilson’s Drusilla Stevens Mazur Research Professorship. In addition, he regularly teaches courses in ethics, environmental ethics, bioethics, business ethics, and food ethics, and courses in the Humanities and Leadership master’s programs.

His scholarship explores moral and practical virtues in contemporary life and popular culture. Elia has published several articles and book chapters on topics including transparency, humiliation, integrity, reverence, and hope.

He earned his doctorate in philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin in 2004. Before starting at Wilson, he held a postdoctoral Franklin Teaching Fellow position at the University of Georgia from 2004-2006.

Associate Professor of History

Bonnie Rock-McCutcheon, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of history and ancient world studies at 91ɫ��Ƭ. She received her doctorate in ancient history from The Ohio State University in 2018. As a dedicated educator and scholar of the ancient Mediterranean, she participated in archaeological projects in Athens, the Corinthia, and Kythera, Greece, and has traveled extensively throughout Greece and Rome.

At 91ɫ��Ƭ, Rock-McCutcheon channels her passion for the ancient and medieval worlds into the classroom, where she teaches a diverse range of courses in history, ancient world studies, and Latin. She is committed to creating immersive learning experiences, often experimenting with innovative pedagogical techniques such as Reacting to the Past simulations, graphic novels, and virtual reality applications to help students engage with the past in dynamic ways.

In addition to her teaching, Rock-McCutcheon is an active scholar. Her research explores the intersections of religion, power, and identity in the Greek Archaic Period, as well as innovative teaching methodologies. In January 2024, she presented on the use of Reacting to the Past in a panel discussion held during the American Historical Association’s annual meeting, titled “The Introductory History Survey: Seeing it the Way it Could Be.” Her recent publications include an article in Classical Outlook titled “Talking Back to Homer: Facilitating Student Connections with Ancient Texts,” which details her use of graphic novels in the classroom.

Her current research focuses on religious dedications on the sacred island of Delos during the Greek Archaic Period, examining them as expressions of social identity, spectacle, and power.