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Barbara Bird

Professor of English, Dean of Faculty Development, and Director of the Bedi Center for Teaching and Learning

Education

  • PhD, Composition and Rhetoric, Ball State University 
  • BA, English, Taylor University

Career Highlights

I trained and mentored over 50 students across 16 years when I directed the Writing Center, which was a joy and privilege for me! I was awarded Taylor’s "Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership" award in 2010.

Biography

Advice to Incoming Students

Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for I am with you wherever you go.” Know that God has called you to Taylor, so be confident that with His help and your work, you will succeed. Your work will be challenging at times, but you are not alone! You will have upper class students, your residence hall leaders, your professors, and of course all of us in the AEC to walk beside you! In these four years, your career is being a student, working as unto the Lord. Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Why I Enjoy Teaching at Taylor

I love teaching at Taylor because of our unique culture. Taylor’s faculty and student body are both diverse and at the same time, unified. We are diverse since we come from different countries and cultures, have different faith backgrounds and spiritual stories, demonstrate different personalities and passions, and even vote on opposite sides of the aisle. But at the same time, we celebrate our diversity, we celebrate our community which is created by all of us choosing to live and work together under one faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and with one purpose: preparing the next generation for a life of servant-leadership wherever God calls them.

Hobbies

Barb enjoys summer traveling with her husband in their 5th wheel trailer, running (half and full marathons), visiting Walt Disney World, and staying in Fort Wilderness Campground.