smiling woman wearing colorful blouse and black jacket

PhD student, Rhetoric and Writing

Graduate Engagement Coordinator, Writing Center
 

Email: moham309@msu.edu

Research Interests

Cultural Rhetorics, Technical and Professional
Communication, Writing Centers

Profile

Mariam Mohammed is a Ph.D. student at MSU in the Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures department. Her research focuses mainly on examining race, language, identity, mental health, storytelling and belonging. Her poems have been published in The Phoenix Literary Arts Magazine, Journal of African Youth Literature, Contemporary Ghanaian Writers Series, The Ghana Poetry Festival Anthology and elsewhere.

Education

M.A. in English, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

B.A. in English, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana

Publications

Thesis

  • Mohammed, M. (2025). “NO LONGER AT EASE”: EXPLORING SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ SENSE OF BELONGING IN A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE INSTITUTION.

Published Peer-Reviewed Research Articles

Poetry

  • “Diagnosis: Homesickness” Red Branch Review. Issue 4. November 2025.
  • “From where do I come?” Red branch Review. Issue 4. November 2025, republished in African Migration Report Poetry Anthology Series, Volume 2.
  • “The B(lack)ody As a Map to Self”. Journal of African Youth Literature issue 9 URL: http://jaylit.com/issue-9/, republished in Africa Migration Report Poetry Anthology Series, Volume 2.
  • “Gardening” The Phoenix Literary Arts Magazine. 70th issue. April 2024
  • “Here in America” Journal of African Youth Literature issue 9 URL: http://jaylit.com/issue-9/
  • “Mother, your child is dying” Contemporary Ghanaian Writers Series. 2024.
  • “The Rains Are Here” The Phoenix Literary Arts Magazine. 68th issue. May 2024, republished in the maiden edition of the Ghana Poetry Festival Anthology, Feb 2025.
  • “Knoxville, downtown.” The Phoenix Literary Arts Magazine. 68th issue. May 2024, republished in the maiden edition of the Ghana Poetry Festival Anthology, Feb 2025.

Grants

2025. Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication Antiracist Grant Award.

Awards and Honors

2025 — Winner, John C. Hodges Excellence in Teaching Award for Graduate Students (MA/MFA)

2025 – Graduate Students of English Awards, Outstanding In-Class Contributor.

2025 — Volunteer of Distinction Award, Spring 2025.

2024 — Winner, John C. Hodges Award for Excellence as a New MA/MFA tutor.

2024–Hodges Fellowship Award, University of Tennessee.

Sample Courses Taught

English 3, Academic Literacy, Communication Skills, English Communication Skills; English Main Language, English First Additional Language