Douglas D. Hesse

rdf:langString Douglas D. Hesse

rdf:langString Douglas Dean Hesse (born July 25, 1956) is an American professor of English and writer who has been elected leader president of three national literacy organizations: president of The National Council of Teachers of English (2016), chair of the Conference on College Composition and Communication (2005), and president of the (1998–2000). Hesse graduated from DeWitt (Iowa) Central High School, which inducted him to its Hall of Fame in 2016. He received a BA in English from the University of Iowa in 1978; an MA/W (Converted to MFA in Nonfiction) from Iowa in 1980; and a PhD from Iowa in 1986, with a dissertation The Story in the Essay. He taught at Findlay College, 1980-1983; at Illinois State University 1986-2006 (where he directed the writing program, the graduate program in English, the Center for the Advancement of Teaching, and the University Honors Program); and then the University of Denver 2006-present, where he is Professor of English and Founding Executive director of the Writing Program. He publishes primarily in the areas of creative nonfiction, writing theory and pedagogy, and writing program organization and administration.