Dr. Laura Ewing has just started her 19th year in the classroom. Blending her deep passion for writing and technology, Dr. Ewing was able to find her place in the world of teaching and helped many students, both directly and indirectly, through her time as a lecturer and her extraordinary contributions to courses such as our ESL series here at Saylor Academy. 

Laura Ewing graduated from Hofstra University in 2003 with an undergraduate degree in Creative Writing and transitioned into teaching English at the high school level. In 2005, upon completing her M.A. in Literature at the University of Delaware, Laura became interested in higher education. 

“I taught English and Writing Studies as an adjunct professor in California and Virginia before starting my doctoral studies in Rhetoric and Composition Theory at the University of South Florida in 2010.” 

Through her Ph.D. program, Laura was able to move to Japan to complete her dissertation. She remained in the country for five years, writing and consulting for international non-profit organizations on program research, development and assessment. 

Upon returning to the United States, Dr. Ewing began teaching composition, technical writing and digital information literacy at American University. Some of her most recent projects include conducting operational analyses of digital communication in natural disaster situations. Currently, Dr. Ewing is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Rhetoric at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. 

“I’ve always loved writing, but I had never even heard of rhetoric and composition until I was in grad school for literature. I had an amazing professor who noticed my interest and encouraged me to switch gears for my Ph.D. I enjoy technology and playing with gadgets and programs, so when I learned there was a whole writing discipline just for technology, I knew I’d found my place.” 

In 2018, Dr. Ewing joined the Saylor team as a Subject Matter Expert. Some of her most notable work includes revising and developing one of our most popular courses among our students, our ESL series

"Education theory’s focus in recent years has been on equity and access, and that’s what Saylor provides its students." – Laura Ewing, PhD  Share on X

With the launch of our fifth and final course in the series, Business-Proficient English as a Second Language, Dr. Ewing reflected on her work during the development of all the courses, and how she was able to bring originality and quality to the project. Since 2018 Dr. Ewing has collaborated with our team in the development of several Saylor courses, all the while supporting our mission to provide free education to all.

“There is always someone willing to bounce ideas around when trying to figure out the best way to present a concept. The projects are also varied, so I feel like I’m continually challenging myself as an educator with each new course.” 

Are you about to start or considering signing up for one of our ESL courses? We asked Dr. Ewing for her advice to new students enrolling in one of her courses, and this is what she had to say. 

“Even though the classes are self-paced, there is a lot to do, and you may find yourself overwhelmed. Organize your workload and take your time through each element to ensure you understand the concept before moving on.” 


Want to learn more about the people behind Saylor Academy and our mission to provide free education to all? Check out our other employee interviews here and learn more about our mission here!