Dr. Ben Wetherbee, instructor of interdisciplinary studies, received his BA in English from the University of Michigan in 2008. He then went on to receive his MA in Rhetoric and Composition in 2011 from Miami University in Ohio. Finally, he received his PhD in Rhetoric and Composition from the University of Louisville in 2015.

Wetherbee has been hired to fill the position that Dr. Meagan Rodgers previously held.

Wetherbee stated that “[his] official appointment is in Interdisciplinary Studies,” and that “people usually refer to him as IDS and English.”

Wetherbee said he will mostly teach Writing I and Writing II, but will eventually teach upper-level English classes.

When asked about his teaching style, Wetherbee had a lot to say.

“I recognize that people like me, who like writing, are nerds. We aren’t normal. Because everyone is filtered through Writing I and Writing II, my philosophy is to try and make writing something that is accessible to everyone,” he said.

“I try to do everything they say a writing class should do, but ultimately, what I want [students] doing is finding stuff that interests them and sort of [using] that as the catalyst for their work,” he said.

Wetherbee, reflecting on his time before USAO, stated, “I had one semester between finishing my PhD and working [at USAO].”

During this time, he worked as an adjunct at the University of Louisville. He also worked in an administrative job at the graduate school.

Wetherbee said his favorite thing about working here is the students.

“At USAO, the level of enthusiasm of an average student is way higher. There’s way more interest. It’s a different kind of student you run into here. [Students here] are more engaged, more enthusiastic, more willing to come by my office. More of all that stuff,” he said.

Wetherbee and his wife, who is now an English professor at the University of Oklahoma, originally expected to end up somewhere in Georgia or Alabama. Despite this, they could not refuse job offers that were so close together. Wetherbee stated that he and his wife “were very lucky to find jobs in close proximity,” and that this was “one of the main reasons they came to Oklahoma.”

Besides teaching, Wetherbee enjoys playing guitar. “I’m a pretty good blues guitar player. I can play anything with frets and strings.”

He also enjoys hockey.

“Because I’m from the frozen north, I’m a hockey fan,” he said.

Wetherbee’s office is located in Room 219-B in Davis Hall.