Kathy Ivey
- Ph.D., M.A., English, University of Rochester
- B.A., English, Duke University
Kathy Ivey teaches English courses in composition, literature and the first-year experience. Although she wrote a dissertation about 18th-century British political and social journalism, her work history and professional development at Lenoir-Rhyne have led her to other areas of scholarly interest, including the scholarship of teaching and learning; writing across the curriculum; rhetoric and composition; and writing center theory and practice. In the classroom, Ivey enjoys helping students work collaboratively to discover their strengths and appreciate the ability to learn from their missteps.
As the director of the Writing Center, Ivey trains students and faculty tutors to work one-on-one with student writers on all aspects of the writing process, from generating ideas to editing sentences. She also tutors writers herself in the center and lives for the aha! moments as well as the mentoring relationships that the work provides. In this administrative role, Ivey also enjoys working with faculty across the disciplines to help them help their students develop as writers.
Ivey is a member of the LR Servus Universitas Society. She was inaugurated in 2016 as a notable way of honoring employees who have dedicated the better part of their lives to serve the mission of LR and make it a better place for those who come after them. To be a member of this society, a Lenoir-Rhyne employee must reach at least 25 years of continuous, full-time service. Of literally thousands of individuals who have been employed by the university, fewer than 150 have reached this milestone.
Ivey is passionate about social justice issues, especially racial justice and reconciliation. She is a member of the Hickory Chapter of the NAACP and the Hickory area Racial Justice and Reconciliation discussion group. Ivey has sung with the Hickory Choral Society since 1991. She loves books, movies, British comedies and crime series and spending time in nature with her two dogs.