Rebecca Cantor, M.A. ’07 is a professor and a poet. After receiving her M.A. in English with an emphasis in Literature and Writing, Rebecca worked at Loyola Marymount University as an Adjunct Professor for nearly eight years. Professor Robin Miskolcze served as an outside member of her dissertation committee as she earned her PhD in English from Claremont Graduate University. She then went on to work at Azusa Pacific University where she served as the Director of the Writing Center, the Founding Executive Director of Writing Programs, and the Assistant Provost. Currently, Rebecca is the Department Chair of Liberal Arts at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where she provides leadership for a department of sixty faculty members. She has published two books of poetry, Running Away (2016) and The Other Half (2018) and is currently working on a third collection.
According to Rebecca, her experience in the program was invaluable: “My time at LMU set up every aspect of my career. Above all, I became a teacher at LMU and, thanks to KJ Peters, I now help the faculty in my department to teach in engaging, student-focused, and thought-provoking ways. And it’s worth mentioning that the cohort I went to LMU with are still some of my best friends.” Rebecca also thanks LMU, and specifically Professor Paul Harris, for elevating her writing career. Dr. Harris was instrumental in awarding Rebecca a summer grant that she claims was the catalyst for The Other Half. Reflecting on that summer, Rebecca said she researched women in the Bible and wrote a small series of poems from their perspectives: “The subject interested me for years, but it wasn't until ten years later that I finally fleshed it out and found an arc resembling a book.”
Currently, Rebecca is working on her third book of poetry, which is about being a female leader, and is tentatively titled Leading Lady. Rebecca’s advice to prospective writers is this: “share your work with someone you trust; don't even wait for it to be good. The time in someone else's hands gives you a break, gives you fresh eyes when it comes back your way, and if you choose the right person, they will help you course-correct early on leading to a great final product. I'm also a huge fan of timed writing. Set a timer for 30 to 45 minutes, turn off your phone, and write like crazy. Write faster than your doubt. Slap the clay on the slab; you can always shape it later.”
You can follow Rebecca on Instagram @rebeccapoet and check out her work at www.rebeccacantor.com Her books are available for purchase on Amazon.