A woman and a man stand in front of a navy blue Augusta Univeristy backdrop while each holding a framed certificate as a man in a suit stands between them, all smiling at the camera.
Candis Bond, PhD, who was recognized as a 2023-2024 Provost Fellows during the 2024 Celebration of Faculty event, has been named the 2024-2025 winner of the AU Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award. [Michael Holahan/Augusta University]

Faculty Spotlight: Candis Bond, PhD 

AU Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award 

Author Virginia Woolf once said, “Arrange whatever pieces come your way.” For Candis Bond, PhD, interim chair of the Department of English and World Languages in Pamplin College of Arts and Humanities at Augusta University, that philosophy has guided both her academic and professional journey.   

“I’m a Christian, and I have tried to live my life by acknowledging that my purpose, or vocation, is bigger than my career or my own plans,” Bond said. “I’ve done my best to make the most of whatever opportunities God presents to me, even if they’re outside of my comfort zone or vision. God has blessed me beyond measure by taking me down fulfilling paths I never expected to travel.” 

A first-generation college student from St. Louis, Missouri, Bond admits that she was naive about career options and programs of study when she enrolled as an undergraduate student, believing that college degrees led to jobs as either a doctor or a lawyer. Given those two options, she felt she’d make a better lawyer and enrolled as a political science, pre-law major. Thankfully, many of her classes were housed within the English department, leading to her realization of her love for English and writing. The rest, you could say, is history. 

“I believe every single person has important things to say and can make a positive impact on their communities through effective communication.”

Candis Bond, PhD, interim chair of the Department of English and World Languages

“As I got ready to fill out grad school applications, I decided to go with English until I had a better sense of what I wanted for my life,” she said. “I never thought of teaching or being a professor as a career option, and I didn’t even know what a writing center was when I got into graduate school. “ 

After receiving her PhD in literature with an emphasis on British modernism and critical theory, Bond struggled when applying to jobs.  

“Preparing my job materials for writing center jobs felt so much easier than for literature jobs, and that’s when it hit me that I really loved writing center work and could imagine a future in writing studies. I applied for the writing center position at Augusta University in 2015, and here I am.” 

Eight years later, the Midwesterner has transitioned from EWL’s first tenure-track director of the Center for Writing Excellence to interim chair of the Department of English and World Languages.  

“This was not something I planned to do, and it is definitely pushing me outside of my comfort zone, but I’m excited to see what God has in store for me while I’m in this role,” she said. “I’m grateful to Pamplin Dean Dr. Kim Davies and my colleagues in EWL for having faith in me and encouraging me as I’ve transitioned into this new position.”   

Her favorite part about her various roles at AU is helping people realize their full potential by identifying and maximizing their strengths, mentoring and encouraging them. 

“Most people find writing difficult, and most of us are told from an early age that we aren’t good at writing. Luckily, though, writing is a skill, which means everyone can improve with time and practice,” she said. “I believe every single person has important things to say and can make a positive impact on their communities through effective communication.” 

Throughout her time at AU, Bond has researched the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning model of learning, focusing on ways to make learning environments and writing instruction more inclusive, accessible and equitable for students. Her publications on the topic include “‘I need help on many things please’: A Case Study Analysis of First-Generation College Students’ Use of the Writing Center,” which was published in Writing Center Journal in 2019; “Preparing Professional Writing Center Staff to Work with STEM and Health Sciences Populations,” which she co-authored with James Garner, PhD, interim director of the CWE; and an article on embedded writing consulting that came out of the University System of Georgia and Augusta University’s Gateways to Completion initiative. 

“I’ve been honored to mentor about 30 undergraduate and graduate students working on SOTL-oriented research projects during my time at AU,” Bond said. “Most of these students have presented or published for professional audiences in writing studies, and their research has had a positive impact on AU by improving practices in the Center for Writing Excellence and providing evidence-based strategies for teaching writing across the disciplines.” 

Receiving the AU Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award has been a humbling experience, and Bond is grateful to former chair Seretha Williams, PhD, for nominating her.  

She believes that the strategies she’s learned through SOTL have practical implications in everyday life for everyone, not just her students. 

“As we move through our careers, it’s easy to get comfortable and do what we’ve always done in the past, but SOTL reminds us to stay open and to practice humility by accepting that there is always room to do something better or differently. It also challenges us to ask ‘why’ and ‘how’ so that we can be more intentional in our pedagogy. Our students deserve the best education. They deserve dedicated faculty who believe in them and challenge them in positive ways. I think SOTL is key to providing this kind of educational experience.” 

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Written by
Karen Klock

Karen Klock is the communications coordinator at Augusta University. You can reach her at kklock@augusta.edu.

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