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Spencer Todd Bennington

Spencer Todd Bennington, Instructor

Spencer Todd Bennington, Instructor
Spencer Todd Bennington, Instructor
Curriculum Vitae

rhetoricalroundhouse.com

Department of English
414 Shanks Hall 
180 Turner Street, NW 
Blacksburg, VA 24061
bennington@vt.edu

Spencer Bennington is a Danville, VA native who earned his BA in English Literature at Averett University, MA of American Literature at Radford University, and PhD of Rhetoric and Composition at the University of South Florida. Spencer's love of writing is what originally drove him to study English, and his love of teaching writing--in all forms--is what keeps him working at the university. From first-year composition, to creative writing, to professional and technical communication, Dr. B does it all!

In addition to teaching writing, Spencer is heavily involved in the interdisciplinary research field of Martial Arts Studies. His practice-based research of Tae Kwon Do has been presented internationally and published in peer-reviewed publications like the Florida English Journal and Rhetoric Review (forthcoming). More information about Spencer's efforts to bring together academics, martial artists, and community activists toward antiracist, antiviolent, social justice efforts can be found on his personal website, rhetoricalroundhouse.com

  • Rhetoric
  • Martial Arts Studies
  • Hip-Hop and Anti-Racist Teaching
  • Ph.D, Rhetoric and Composition, University of South Florida
  • M.A., English, Radford University
  • B.A. English Averett University
  • Founder of Hive Mind Undergraduate Research Collective
  • 2020--University of South Florida English Department award for Outstanding PhD candidate
  • 2020-- 3rd Degree Black Belt, Awarded by the Kukkiwon of South Korea and the World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WT) 
  • 2019--University of South Florida English Department Award for Outstanding Graduate Student.
  • 2014--Radford University English Department Graduate Scholarship Award for Best Thesis. The Servant’s Satchel

 

Journal Articles

  • Bennington S.T. State-Run Martial Arts Institutions: The Many Rhetorical (Re)inventions of Tae Kwon Do. Rhetoric Review. (Accepted for publication 03/24/22)
  • Bennington, S. (2018). Getting Rhetorically Jiggy with it: Conscious Rap’s Place in the Composition Classroom. Florida English Journal. 53.1, pp. 54-63.  
  • Bennington, S.T. (2019). Book Review: Udo Moenig. 2016. Taekwondo: From a Martial Art to a Martial Sport. London and New York: Routledge. 230 pages. $40 USD (paperback). Martial Arts Studies Journal. 7, pp.73–76.  
  • Bennington, S. T. (2015). Review of Tim Poland’s The Safety of Deeper Water. Floyd County Moonshine. 7(1), 71-75.  

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