Meet the Director
Marilyn Ward grew up in a big white and red house on the Lake Michigan shoreline, reading “Cinderella,” “Dr. Seuss,” “Heidi,” “Eloise,” “Alice in Wonderland,” and books about ballet. Today, she teaches about those books and many more, two miles south of that house on Lake Michigan, at Carthage College.
Professor Ward joined the Carthage education Faculty in 1990, where she teaches courses in children’s and young adult literature, creative arts, social studies methods, poetry theatre, gifted and talented education, and dance.
Prof. Ward earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in theatre, social studies, and education from the University of Wisconsin — Parkside, a Master’s of Art in children’s theatre from Northwestern University, and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction (children’s literature and gifted and talented education) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
She has published books and articles on multicultural literature, children’s and young adult fiction on disabilities and differences, and social studies trade books. She serves on the National Council for the Social Studies Carter G. Woodson Book Award Committee and is the Wisconsin State Ambassador for the United States Board on Books for Young People.
When she is not traveling all over the world visiting schools, libraries, theatres, museums, bookstores, and conferences, she is at home one mile east of Lake Michigan, surrounded by wagon-loads of books.
Prof. Ward can be contacted at 262-551-5875 or mward@carthage.edu.