44 University Drive
Dallas, PA 18612
Office Hours
Wednesdays: 9:00 a.m.–noon and 1:30- 4:00 p.m.
Thursdays: 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
and by appointment
Biography
Christyne Berzsenyi, Ph.D. is a Professor of English and the program coordinator for the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Multidisciplinary Studies program. Dr. Berzsenyi has taught rhetoric and professional writing as well as genre-based literature and cultural studies (e.g., Science Fiction, Crime and Detection, American Gothic short stories, and Food and Writing) at Penn State Wilkes-Barre since 1998. As an early adopter of teaching with technology, Dr. Berzsenyi teaches not only in-person courses but also hybrid and fully web-based courses.
In addition to teaching, Dr. Berzsenyi is committed to serving the campus in many ways. Currently she is the coordinator for transfer students in the Liberal Arts, particularly for those who are in University’s 2+2 program. She has also served in various roles for the campus and University faculty senates, including on the campus Promotion and Tenure Review Committee. Dr. Berzsenyi has mentored faculty on their documentation for promotion and has written peer evaluations and teaching observation reports. A top priority for her is acknowledging high-performing faculty, staff, and students via award nominations.
In the News
- “How Poker Face Pays Tribute to the Beloved Detective Show Columbo,” Time Magazine. (2023)
- Faculty member authors book that analyzes the TV series Columbo (2021)
Research Interests
Dr. Berzsenyi’s research utilizes rhetorical theory and discourse analysis of popular media series and characters, functional storytelling, constructing relationships, social media identity, film/video promotions, and evangelical women’s testimony. Importantly, her research informs her teaching of professional writing, genre literature, and culture. Current research essay projects include the following:
- Testimonies of women mega-church leaders that enable their leadership in contemporary Evangelical ministries
- The rhetorical functions of horror anthology and film “talkers” who host and promote their work
- Critical communication educational game development
Publications
- “The Golden Girls.” Cinema and Media Studies. Oxford Bibliographies (online database), Oxford University Press, 66 entries, 7/2024.
- “Crime and Punishment and Columbo: The Inverted Mystery, the Everyman, and Investigation by Rhetoric of Inquiry,” Clues: A Journal of Detection. v. 40.2, 2022.
- Columbo: A Rhetoric of Inquiry with Resistant Responders. University of Chicago/Intellect Books, Ltd. 2021.
- “The Columbo Method—A Rhetoric of Inquiry Practiced Across Professions,” Journal of Professional Communication. Vol. 6, No. 2. Fall 2021.
- “Writing to Meet Your Match: Rhetoric and Self-Presentation for Four Online Daters,” Innovative Methods and Technologies for Electronic Discourse Analysis. August, 2013.
- “Inviting ‘Millennials’ to Be Voices for Social Justice in Their Creative Writings,” College English Association Forum. July (3rd Quarter/Summer) 2011.
- “The Golden Girls share signature stories: Narratives of aging, identity, and communal desire,” Americana: The Journal of American Popular Culture, 1900 to Present. 2010.
- “ ‘We’re Just Kidding’: Sexual Obscenities in Classroom Chat and Teaching about Audience,” The Writing Instructor. 2004.
- “Evil, Deadly, Beautiful: Drive-in Horror’s Monstrous Women!” 2003.
- “Comments to comments: Teachers and students in written dialogue about critical revision,” Composition Studies. 2001.
- “Teaching interlocutor relationships in electronic classrooms,” Computers and Composition. 1999.
Education
- Ph.D. Rhetoric and Composition, University of Oklahoma. 1998.
Dissertation: Interlocutor Relationships in the Online Classroom. - M.A. English, California State University, Long Beach. 1992.
- B.A. English, University of California, Irvine. 1990.
- Penn State Online Teaching Certificate. 2015.