— LISTEE'S SPOTLIGHT —

Dr. Brian Abel Ragen, an emeritus professor of English at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, is recognized for his prowess in English education and the arts. Commencing his career as a lecturer at Princeton University in 1984, he served in numerous educational capacities at Bryn Mawr College, Hong Kong Baptist University and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville between 1986 and 2013. Outside of his vocational endeavors, Dr. Ragen is an author and music producer, having produced the album “Words to Music: Songs of Eugene Field featuring Christine Brewer and Scott Kennebeck” in 2018. Earlier, he wrote the book “A Wreck on the Road to Damascus” in 1989 and a paper titled “Tom Wolfe: A Critical Comparison” in 2002. Contributing his wealth of expertise to professional articles, he has written works on heraldry, hymnity and literary canon and was the editor of a scholarly paper on language and literature between 1992 and 2008. He also established scholarships and fellowships. To attest to his success, Dr. Ragen earned the Service Medal of the Order of St. John with three clasps recognizing 25 years of service in 2022. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Pomona College and a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy from Princeton University.