Caroline Breashears finds upright women boring. She prefers them to be scandalous, at least those of 18th-century England.

As Associate Professor of English, her research focuses on the memoirs of unconventional women during this time period. She says, “I'm fascinated by how these women--destitute, ostracized and slandered--constructed their lives and used print to appeal their losses.” She says their memoirs form a subgenre of English literature. An article that she wrote describing that subgenre has been accepted for publication by the journal Modern Philology.

In addition to her research and teaching in the English department, Breashears has also advised the English honorary organization. One year, the group planned and staged a conference focused on literature. “From organizing the program to delivering their presentations, the students were amazing,” she says, adding that watching the success of the conference as one of her most rewarding experiences as a teacher.

Prof. Breashears never seems to stay still.  Apart from her activities at St. Lawrence, she enjoys watching films, playing the piano and spending time with friends. She says that “Whether it’s teaching a class, helping a student with a paper, talking with colleagues or researching women's memoirs, all of these activities are ways of connecting and understanding--of achieving the goals of a liberal education.  That's never finished.”