I’m Dr. Kirsti Cole, professor of English, editor, and writing program leader, committed to transforming how we teach, research, and value communication in higher education. With over 20 years of experience in rhetoric and composition, feminist theory, and program administration, my work bridges theory and practice across institutional, disciplinary, and technological boundaries.

I serve as Professor of English and Co-Director of the Campus Writing and Speaking Program (CWSP) at North Carolina State University. In this role, I collaborate with faculty across disciplines to develop writing-enriched curricula, facilitate communication-enriched pedagogies, and co-lead campus-wide initiatives on ethical and inclusive writing and speaking instruction. I specialize in faculty development that emphasizes writing across the curriculum (WAC), writing in the disciplines (WID), and institutional literacy.

My research and publications reflect a commitment to equity, critical pedagogy, and interdisciplinary inquiry. I’m the co-author of A Faculty Guidebook for Effective Shared Governance and Service in Higher Education (2023), and the co-editor of Transformations: Change Work Across Writing Programs, Pedagogies, and Practices (2021). I’ve also co-edited five other collections focused on feminist leadership, academic labor, and writing program innovation. My scholarship spans topics such as institutional ethnography, the ethics of AI integration in writing, and alternative rhetorics of motherhood, particularly through a feminist lens. As a researcher, I explore how AI, multimodal composition, and public rhetoric shape emerging literacies and institutional practices. I am one of the co-authors of the AWAC Statement on Artificial Intelligence Writing Tools (2025) and frequently present at national and international conferences on digital rhetoric, feminist theory, and writing program development. I also study cultural constructions of stepmotherhood and maternal identity, co-editing Refiguring Motherhood Beyond Biology (2023) and co-authoring several articles and book chapters on the rhetorical framing of motherhood in media and public discourse.

Throughout my career, I’ve directed two university-wide WAC programs, led anti-racism and anti-bullying initiatives, served on editorial boards, and mentored graduate students as they develop into scholars, teachers, and program leaders themselves. Whether in the classroom, through research, or in institutional leadership, my work centers on creating sustainable, collaborative, and inclusive futures for writing and communication.