English professor receives Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award

Associate Professor, Simone Chess, has received the Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award, which recognizes excellence in mentoring graduate students.

A specialist in early modern British literature, Professor Chess has overseen three completed dissertations since joining Wayne State in 2008, and she is currently directing five students who are post-coursework. Professor Chess has also served on dissertation committees for ten additional students who have finished their degrees. Current and former students all attest to Professor Chess's exceptional strengths as a mentor, noting that her caring and tireless support encouraged them to pursue their scholarly passions and produce cutting-edge work.

Professor Chess also creates experimental and innovative graduate seminars that challenge students to grow as scholars. Most notably, one of her classes resulted in a digital catalog and database of early modern ballads about warrior women (Warrior Women Project). Not only has this digital project advanced early modern scholarship, but it has also provided a foundation for students to present their research at major conferences in their field.

Congratulations to Professor Chess on this much-deserved recognition of her outstanding mentorship!