She received her MA in English and literature from Fayetteville State University in 2003 and her PhD in rhetoric, writing, and professional communication from East Carolina University in 2015. Her academic interests include studying first-year writing students’ engagement with writing, examining students' attitudes towards writing, and encouraging faculty involvement with writing across the curriculum. A Fayetteville, NC native, Whitney enjoys spending time with her family, working in her garden, and enjoying the outdoors. She lives with her husband Dan, her daughter Danielle, three spoiled dogs, and a school of colorful aquarium fish.