She teaches chiefly contemporary American literature, with an emphasis on historical and cultural context. Some of her favorite authors to teach are William Faulkner, Junot Díaz, and John Steinbeck, and she also teaches drama and memoir. Her students have created digital exhibits and/or held public events on their original archival research in Wilson Library almost every year that she has taught. First-year seminars are some of her favorite courses to teach, and her work was recognized with the Sitterson Award for Freshman Teaching in 2013. She is currently at work on a book project about the literary depiction of illegal immigration during the Cold War.