GREENVILLE, Pa.—Associate Professor of English and Dietrich Honors Institute Director Sheila Gross, Ph.D. ’10 presented an academic paper at the Research Society for Victorian Periodicals’ 57th Annual Conference hosted by Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, in July.
Titled “Movements and Migrations,” this year’s international conference took place in Dublin, Ireland and was held on July 23-25. The conference brought together presenters from North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, and abroad who explored how the exchange of texts, people, culture and ideas had an impact on the Victorians and on us in the present day.
Gross presented her paper, “Migrating the Literary Analysis Paper: Victorian Periodicals and Digital Futures in the Age of AI.” Her presentation focused on pedagogy—how Victorian periodicals can be taught in the undergraduate classroom and how these texts are naturally resistant to AI. She specifically highlighted an assignment that her undergraduate students completed in her Survey of Literature by Women course. This presentation was connected to a development grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities that Thiel College received to support the integration of digital tools and literacy into general education courses in English, history, and philosophy, which Gross received with her colleagues in 2025.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.