GLENVILLE, WV – Glenville State University Associate Professor of English Dr. Amanda Chapman has been named to the 2023 class of Generation Next: 40 Under 40 honorees.

Chapman and the other honorees were recognized at a ceremony on June 15.

“When I learned I had been included in the State Journal’s 40 under 40, I felt — as my grandmother would say — tickled pink,” Chapman said.

Chapman says she enjoys teaching at Glenville State University, particularly because the student body largely comes from a background similar to her own.

“I love teaching at GSU because it allows me to serve a population of people who come from the kind of background I come from: rural, low-income, first generation students. I know firsthand how life-changing a college education can be for those folks—not just for the students themselves but often also for their families—and I’m serious about serving as both an educator and a role model for them,” she said.

Chapman, who hails from Alabama, has been at Glenville State since 2017. She currently teaches courses in research writing, British literature, and children’s and young adult literature. She also serves on the Program Committee of the West Virginia Humanities Council.

She notes gaining inspiration from her own instructors, many of whom encouraged deep thought about the subject matter being taught. “The leaders I look up to the most are the many excellent teachers I’ve had who modeled a curious, passionate engagement with the world that couldn’t fail to be infectious,” Chapman added.

“We at Glenville State University are extremely proud of Dr. Chapman’s accomplishments and her dedication to students. She is an outstanding professor, providing insight to her students while encouraging them to think and learn throughout life. This honor is well deserved and we salute her,” said Glenville State University President, Dr. Mark A. Manchin.

Chapman holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Troy University, a master’s degree in English from the University of Alabama, and a Ph.D. in Critical and Cultural Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. Her academic work has been published in two of the premiere journals in the field of children’s and young adult literature studies, The Lion and the Unicorn and Children’s Literature.

The 40 Under 40 recognition was created 18 years ago to celebrate the state’s outstanding professionals who make a difference on the job and in their communities. The recognition is presented by The State Journal.