WFP Series Vol. 5: A Sit Down with Dr. Philips

Students enrolled in Writing for Publication (Fall 2018) wrote and submitted blog stories related to the department. The fruits of those efforts will be published on our department blog every day during finals week.  The following story was written by Sincere Matthew Benton.

Sincere Matthew Benton

Why LLP is for Me: As far as my education and future career goes, LLP plays the second biggest role behind my understanding of the business world. The ability to convey a message that's convincing enough to persuade corporations to partner with me is crucial.

A Sit Down with Dr. Elaine Philips

     I recently had the pleasure of sitting down Dr. Elaine Philips, a creative writing instructor in LLP. We had an insightful conversation about the importance of fiction, experiences from our lives, and plans for the future.
     Fiction at TSU is a high priority according to Philips. “TSU needs to read fiction to understand the world around them and those who are different from them.” As our conversation continued I came to appreciate that Philips is one of the most passionate instructors at this institution. She

Dr. Elaine Philips

hopes to work here until she retires.
Her inspiration to teach comes from her students. She reflects back to students that she taught over the last decade who were resistant, at first, but became better writers and poets. The purpose of her class, she says, is for it to feel like a workshop. Students are not only graded on their work, but they also get insightful feedback so that they could become better writers.
One of the more insightful parts of our conversation was comparing her classes from when she first got to TSU to now. She said that in classes’ past there seemed to be a bit more excitement to learn.
Ultimately, Philips says that she’s enjoys her work TSU thus far. The college experience would be a lot more enjoyable and educational if all professors were like her.


Sincere Matthew Benton, 19,  hails from Atlanta, Georgia. Benton began writing at ten years old.  His goal is to become a renaissance man in the world of literature. In the future, Benton plans on becoming a published author and the owner of his own hotel franchise,