Featured RSTC 2025 PhD Graduate
We are incredibly proud of our recent RSTC PhD graduate, Cody Bursch! Cody has been an integral part of the RSTC community since Fall 2020 and successfully defended his dissertation this spring, titled “Conducting a Personal Listening Audit as a Practice of Critical Self-Awareness.” Read below to learn more about Cody’s experience in the RSTC program.
Why did you choose RSTC for your graduate studies?
In October 2019, I visited campus to ask the then-Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. John Logie, a few questions because I wasn't sure about next steps for myself after having received my Master's in English a couple years prior. I was thinking of going back to school for another Master's but in writing studies. When I met with Dr. Logie, he told me, based on my answers to his questions, that I sounded like a PhD student. This was not something anyone ever told me I was capable of being nor had I envisioned that path for myself before. But it made me happy to hear. So, I made the decision that day to apply. And, gosh, it was such a gorgeous Fall day -- Nolte is nestled within one of the most gorgeous little streets on campus. Important, too, was my decision to go somewhere close to home. I grew up and lived in a suburb of Minneapolis, so it was a convenient location.
What types of research did you pursue with RSTC?
I was interested in being a writing program administrator (WPA), so I pursued research that would support that kind of work. I did a handful of qualitative interview studies -- with graduate students, faculty, and WPAs. I mostly used grounded theory in these studies. In one study for a book project with my advisor, Dr. Amy Lee, we interviewed WPAs from across the country. I did a study with my (now) best friend (whom I met as a direct result of being in this program!) concerning online peer response pedagogy during the pandemic and empathy. Then, my dissertation research concerned self-work, critical self-reflection; essentially, it was an in-depth reflection on my listening practices.
What was your favorite part of RSTC?
The people, the compassion, and the humanistic approaches everyone took to their pedagogies.
What was your favorite class that you took as a student and why?
I really appreciated Dr. Lee-Ann Kastman Breuch's methods course (WRIT 8011) because it was so informative, fun, and I felt like I learned a lot about a subject I'd always wanted to learn more about. My independent study and one-on-one seminar with Dr. Lee were also life-changing; I learned things about myself I never knew, and it also changed what I thought was study-able. And I loved Dr. Kristin Jamsen's writing center theory course, not only because it invited me to think about writing center work but also for the people and the way Kristin conducted the course. It was fun, social, and we all had a blast.
What class(es) did you enjoy teaching and why?
I mostly taught WRIT 1301 (University Writing) but I also taught two sections of WRIT 3562W (Technical & Professional Writing). I enjoyed every class I taught. My students were great. I liked being able to switch up what I was doing every semester just a bit. But I also really enjoyed the professional development for both courses. I loved being able to talk with everyone in the program and hear how everyone else was doing.
What are your plans for the future?
I accepted a professor position at Arizona Western College in Yuma, AZ, which is a dream location for me. I couldn't be more excited! In terms of research, I look forward to exploring critical trauma theory and synthesizing this with my interests in peer response and listening.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a graduate degree in rhetoric, writing studies and technical communication?
My best friend started his PhD this past year, so I'll tell you what I tell him -- and, admittedly, it's advice that's much easier said than done, so bear with me. Let go of the inner critic when you're working on just getting material on the page for whatever writing you're doing. Then, on the other end of the process spectrum, when you're approaching the turn-it-in moment, trust yourself that you put in the work you needed to put in and submit what you have. Maybe Gandalf said it best: “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” If you can tell yourself you did the sincere best that your bandwidth and the timeline allowed, then trust that your writing will reflect this.
What is one fun fact about you?
I am obsessed with the desert. Even though I grew up in Minneapolis, I thrive in extreme heat, and beige is my favorite color. I've been to every major desert biome in the United States; they all have their unique draws, but the rugged, craggy, liminal Mojave is where it's at.
