2019- Doctor of Letters, Global Studies, Drew University’s Caspersen Graduate School, Madison, New Jersey, United States

Dissertation: Ambassadors for Peace: A Literature and the Arts-Based ESL Classroom Model

2014- Master of Letters, Global Studies, Drew University’s Caspersen Graduate School, Madison, New Jersey, United States

2013- B.A., Sociology, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey, United States

Prior to joining Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China in 2017, Dr. Kyra Whitehead completed her BA, MA, Conflict Resolution and Leadership Certification, and doctoral coursework at Drew University, New Jersey. Kyra Simultaneously embraced the role of teacher’s assistant and Global Religion Lecturer at Drew University and as an English Lecturer at Kean University, Union, New Jersey. During her studies, Dr. Whitehead also worked as an Academic Coach, Writing Workshop Instructor, and Writing Tutor for Drew University’s Center for Academic Excellence. Dr. Whitehead successfully defended her dissertation in completion of her D. Litt. degree in February 2019, while working at WKU and as Dean of Concordia Language Villages English Language Program.

Presently, Dr. Whitehead is an English and Design Lecturer at Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China, specializing in English for Academic Purposes for Design, and acting as a liaison between the English and Design departments. Through this role, Dr. Whitehead uses art and design as vectors for peacebuilding in her English and Design courses. Dr. Whitehead’s courses include English Composition, English as a Second Language Writing I and II, Research and Technology for Design, Design Internship, and Global Design and Visual Culture.

Alongside teaching a range of Design and English courses, Dr. Whitehead runs a writing lab for WKU’s Michael Graves College (MGC), editing and revising student and faculty work and the MGC Newsletter. Simultaneously, Dr. Whitehead serve’s on WKU’s hiring committee and chairs WKU’s Common Reads Program, Pre-semester Intensive English Program, and Learning and Immersion Enrichment Program known as Language Lounge.

Dr. Whitehead’s research interests include peace studies and second language acquisition. She presented on the peace studies panel for Donegal, Ireland’s Transatlantic Peace Conference for 3 years. In 2017 she created a panel for the same conference on second language acquisition, acting as both facilitator and presenter. In 2018, Dr. Whitehead presented a paper on storytelling in the ESL classroom at the 5th International Language in Focus Conference in Thessaloniki, Greece, and co-conducted a workshop on the learner-centered classroom for the same conference held in Dubrovnik, Croatia, May 2019. Dr. Whitehead also presented online for the Peace and Justice Studies Association in October 2021.

Presently: Introduction to Design and Visual Culture (DSN 1100)

Dr. Whitehead is originally from Connecticut. She has lived, worked, and studied in India, Nepal, and Italy, and has traveled throughout Europe and Asia. In her free time, she plays the violin, sings, writes, practices yoga, and explores opportunities to engage with artistic communities.