Mercy Cannon, Ph.D.

After earning her Ph.D. in English from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Dr. Cannon served as the Writing Center Director at Stephen F. Austin State University, then moved to Austin Peay State University where she progressed through the ranks from Assistant to Professor of English. At APSU Dr. Cannon served in various faculty leadership roles, including Faculty Senate President, and held administrative positions as Associate Dean for the College of Arts and Letters and as Chair of the Department of Languages and Literature. 

Dr. Cannon became the Dean of CLASS at EKU in July 2022. Her dissertation on Gothic heroines prepared her well for the mix of dread and exhilaration this role brings. Her work includes all the things one would expect, some dreary, some thrilling: program reviews, accreditation, faculty evaluation process, retention improvements and advising quality, alignment with Academic Affairs priorities, resource allocation and oversight. For joy, she focuses on cultivating strong leadership among chairs and faculty, articulating shared values in challenging times, and delivering honest and hopeful communication. And baking.