Dr. Ronald L. Pitcock

J. Vaughn & Evelyne H. Wilson Honors Fellow
Director of Prestigious Scholarships

Dr. Ron Pitcock is the J. Vaughn and Evelyn H. Wilson Honors Fellow at Texas Christian University, where he also serves as the Director of Prestigious Scholarships. He earned his A.B. at Wabash College, M.A. at Indiana State University, and his Ph.D. in English and American Literature, with specializations in American Rhetoric, Literacy, and Culture, at the University of Kentucky.

At TCU, Dr. Pitcock has taught an array of undergraduate courses and graduate seminars on rhetoric, writing, literacy, and literature. His research examines issues in writing pedagogy and nineteenth-century US literacy. In recent years, Dr. Pitcock has pursued efforts to enhance the teaching and learning that Honors students experience at TCU.

In addition to upper-level Honors colloquia like "Nature of Giving," " On Human Nature," and "Nature of Values," he teaches a sophomore-level Cultural Visions sequence titled "Cultural Memory in the US." There Honors students study the origins and representations of American memory; as part of the course, many of Dr. Pitcock's students travel to important sites of memory including New York City, Boston, Oklahoma City, Washington D.C., and Honolulu. Honors students also travel with Dr. Pitcock to Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, where he teaches a month-long Honors Abroad course called "Cultural Routes."

In 2003, Dr. Pitcock was named "Honors Professor of the Year" at TCU. In 2002, he received the "Promising Researcher Award" from the National Council of Teachers of English. Most recently, Dr. Pitcock received the 2010 Wassenich Award for Mentoring in the TCU Community. TCU students also voted Dr. Pitcock as recipient of the 2009 TCU Inspirational Professor Award presented by EECU. Dr. Pitcock has received teaching awards at the University of Kentucky, Indiana State University, and TCU; citations from the Conference on College Communication and Composition; and fellowships given by Pew Charitable Trusts.

In 2012, The Princeton Review named Dr. Pitcock as one of the Best 300 Professors in the US.