Ethan standing in front of Tyler Haynes Commons building and Westhampton Lake on University of Richmond campus

The Office of Scholars and Fellowships Welcomes New Associate Director

December 5, 2022

Ethan J.H. Knight, the Office of Scholars and Fellowships’ (OSF) new Associate Director, always planned to plant himself somewhere where he could work with students. After earning undergraduate degrees in theatre and English at Western Illinois University, he attended graduate school with the intention of becoming an English professor. He earned his master’s degree in English at Texas A&M University, and while pursuing his Ph.D. in English at the University of South Carolina, he taught courses and served as assistant director for the first-year English program. He found mentoring college students through the writing process to be the most rewarding part of those roles.

Ethan explains that he “fell into fellowships,” taking a job in National Fellowships and Scholar Programs at USC while writing his dissertation. He happily discovered that many of the things he was looking for in a faculty position were present in his work as a fellowship advisor, and he has not looked back. Ethan is thrilled to be a Spider and to join a liberal arts-focused community where he can continue working with students on impactful writing that can help them think about their goals beyond a single paper or semester.

It’s amazing to be able to work closely with students on writing with real—and sometimes life-changing—stakes. And even when students aren’t selected, they still come away having learned so much about themselves; I’m glad to be able to be a part of that process.

Ethan J.H. Knight
Associate Director, OSF
While at USC, Ethan’s office was across the hall from colleagues involved with their scholars program, and he jokingly describes being jealous of all the fun they were having. At UR, he is pleased to expand his work with students to include scholar selection and programming for the Richmond Scholars program. He has already collaborated with the student Leadership Council to plan community-building events such as a visit to the pumpkin patch and Friendsgiving.

Outside the office, Ethan is drafting his dissertation on 19th century American literature, which explores genre, intertextuality, and the fiction of E.A. Poe. Fittingly, one of the first events he and his wife, Olivia, attended in their new hometown was Unhappy Hour at The Poe Museum. They can also be found trying different Richmond restaurants and hanging with their dog, Queequeg, who particularly enjoys a weekend walk around campus.

When time allows, Ethan likes kayaking, occasionally playing the harmonica, and discussing movies and novels. Fun fact: Ethan co-created a podcast, There Will Be Spoilers: 100 Films, 100 Podcasts, where he and his co-host watched and discussed each film on AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movies list. Some of his favorites from the list include The Sixth Sense, The Graduate, and American Graffiti. He is happy to talk about movies anytime! 

Ethan is eager to get to know the UR community and committed to supporting students as they explore, define, and work toward their goals. He can be found in his office in Tyler Haynes Commons 308, and welcomes his fellow Spiders to stop by anytime to say hello.