State University Customer Service

LASANTHA RODRIGO, PH.D

Office: Home:

Illinois State University 1007 East Grove Street

Campus Box 4240 Apartment 3

Normal Bloomington

IL 61790-4240 IL 61701

Mobile: 309-***-**** Email: ********.*******@*****.***

EDUCATION

2009-2014 Ph.D., English Studies (creative writing

emphasis), Illinois State University

Dissertation: Firefly Song

Director: Dr. Kass Fleisher

2008-2009 MA, English, University of Rochester

Thesis: Growing Up and Coming Out

(creative MA essay)

Director: Dr. Joanna Scott

2006-2008 MA, English Literature, (American Lit.

emphasis), St. Bonaventure University

Thesis: AIDS as an Intensifier of Human

Relationships in the Works of David Leavitt

Thesis Director: Dr. Jeffrey Slagle

1998-2002 BA, Theater and English Literature, Pacific

Lutheran University

1995-1996 Performer’s Certificate in Speech and Drama, Trinity

College, London

Performer’s Certificate in Speech and Drama,

Wendy Whatmore Academy, Sri Lanka

Gold Medal in Solo Acting, London Academy

of Music and Dramatic Art, London

2/6

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2015 – Present Writing Specialist, Julia N. Visor Center, Illinois

State University

ENG 101 (online), Illinois State University

20012-2013 ENG 227 (Introduction to Creative Writing)

online for the first time, Illinois State

University

2006-2008 ENG 101, St. Bonaventure University

2001-2003 Creative Director, Skills Advertising, Sri Lanka

1998-2003 Freelance Feature Writer and Editor, The

Sunday Times

READINGS/PRESENTATIONS/CONFERENCES

2015 Word Bombing V 14. (read an autobiographical

piece, titled, Kyle)

2014 Word Bombing V 13, (read from memoir, Firefly

Song)

Future of Trauma and memory studies conference,

U of IL (Paper: Acceptance in Lieu of Recovery:

Dealing with Seamless Trauma that Makes

Recovery a Myth)

Women and Gender Studies Symposium, Illinois

State University

2013 New Directions Conference, Illinois State University

Play Reading: Rhododendron, Illinois State

University

2012 New Directions Conference, Illinois State University

Word Bombing, V 5, Illinois State University (read

the last chapter of Scent of a Rhododendron, a

book length work of creative nonfiction)

3/6

Word Bombing V 4, Illinois State University (read

Aunty Marguerite, an essay of creative nonfiction)

Poetry Reading at McLean County Arts Center (read

two poems: “Lullaby” and “Grotesque”)

2011 New Directions Conference, Illinois State University

Word Bombing V 2, Illinois State University (read

from Fireflies, an essay of creative nonfiction)

2010 Word Bombing V 1, Illinois State University (read

from Nine-one-one, an essay of creative nonfiction)

Diversity Symposium, Illinois State University (read

a series of nonfictional snippets)

Women and Gender Studies Symposium, Illinois

State University

PUBLICATIONS

2014 Firefly Song, doctoral dissertation, Illinois State University

A re-telling of Much Ado About Nothing (Scholastic, India)

“A Rare Kind of Light at the End of a Rare Kind of Tunnel:

Trauma of a Life-Altering, Chronic, Degenerative Disease and

Its Redemption” (Journal of Loss and Trauma, University of

Iowa)

2013 "I Took the Longer Route." Healing through the Numinous,

Carl Jung Society of St. Louise.

2012 “Dahl,” SNReview

“Fireflies,” Dark Matter

2011 “Archchi,” OUP India

Book published on account of the Women and Gender Studies

Symposium, Illinois State University

2010 “Mellow Blue,” Euphemism: V 5 I 2

“Nine-One-One,” Euphemism V 6 I 1

4/6

“Spinal Tap,” Euphemism V 6 I 1

2008 AIDS as an Intensifier of Human Relationships in the Works of

David Leavitt (Master’s Thesis), St. Bonaventure University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Journalism

Current affairs

Editing

Proofreading

Online instruction

Hybridity in creative writing

Shakespeare

World literature, especially Greek and Roman literature, Russian literature, and South Asian

Literature (especially from the Indian subcontinent)

Critical theories (especially trauma theory, postcolonial theory, disability studies, queer theory,

and critical race theory)

AWARDS AND HONORS

2014 Post-doctoral Teaching Assistantship, Illinois State

University

2013 Sigma Tau Delta, Illinois State University chapter of

The National English Honor Society

2012 Honorary mention at The Carl Jung Society’s (St.

Louise) essay contest: Healing through the

Numinous

2011 Dr. Judy Smithson Scholarship, Illinois State

University

1999 Phi Theta Kappa, Waldorf College

Award for Faculty Recognition of Academic

Excellence, Waldorf College

5/6

1995 Most outstanding Royalist of the year, presented

by Her Excellency, Chandrika Bandaranaike

Kumaratunga, former President of Sri Lanka

1983-1994 Various awards for theater, creative writing,

literature, oratory, debating, and announcing at

High school, divisional, provincial, and national

levels, Sri Lanka (over 100 awards)

LANGUAGES

Fluent in English and Sinhalese

WORKS IN PROGRESS

Rhododendron, an autobiographical play in three acts

Firefly Song, A memoir (completed)

Shards, a collection of poetry

A series of essays pertaining to ceaseless/ongoing trauma

REFERENCES

Dr. Kass Fleisher

Department of English

Illinois State University

Campus Box 4240

Normal, IL 61790-4240

Phone: 309-***-****

Email: *******@*****.***

Dr. Ricardo Cortez Cruz

Department of English

Illinois State University

Campus Box 4240

Normal, IL 61790-4240

Phone: 309-***-****

Email: ******@*****.***

6/6

Dr. Joyce Walker

Professor and Director of the Writing Program, Department of English

Illinois State University

Campus Box 4240

Normal, IL 61790-4240

Phone: 309-***-****

Email: *******@*****.***

Pamm Ambrose

Associate Director, University College

University College

Normal, Il 61790-4060

Phone: 309-***-****

Email: *******@*****.***

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