Longtime W scholar Dr. Thomas Richardson receives three emeritus distinctions
Mississippi University for Women has awarded Dr. Thomas Richardson the ranks of professor emeritus of English, dean emeritus of the College of Arts and Sciences and provost emeritus. A long-time academic leader and scholar, Richardson is recognized for decades of service and literary contributions.
“Dr. Richardson’s impact on this university is profound and enduring,” said W President Nora Miller. “His leadership, scholarship and unwavering commitment to students and faculty have shaped The W in countless ways. It is an honor to recognize his extraordinary career with these distinctions.”
Richardson has served as a professor of English and held the Eudora Welty Chair of Humanities since 1998. Over the years, he has occupied various administrative roles, including multiple terms as provost and vice president for academic affairs, as well as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
“It is a great honor to be awarded the title of professor emeritus for my work as a faculty member at The W, but it is truly special–and humbling–also to be honored with emeritus status for my work as dean and provost. I am very grateful to President Miller and my colleagues for this recognition for doing the work I have loved for 37 of my 50 years in education, and I am very pleased that the title of emeritus will allow me the privilege to remain connected to this special university,” said Richardson.
Throughout his career, Richardson has received numerous honors and recognitions, including the university’s Medal of Excellence, the Kossen Faculty Excellence Award, the Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher Award and grants from the American Philosophical Society and the Southern Regional Education Board. Additionally, his professional affiliations include the Association for Scottish Literary Studies, the Carlyle Society and the James Hogg Society. Richardson also serves on the board of directors for the University Press of Mississippi, chairing the board from 1996 to 1998.
An accomplished scholar, Richardson boasts an extensive publication record in 19th-century Scottish literature, particularly the works of James Hogg, John Gibson Lockhart and Thomas Carlyle. His scholarship has appeared in numerous journals and collections including “The Oxford Handbook of British Romantic Prose,” “Romanticism” and “Studies in Hogg and His World.”
In addition to his publications, Richardson has delivered presentations at academic conferences and universities across the United States and internationally, including the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow, the University of Stirling and Oxford University.
Richardson earned his doctorate and master of education from Duke University and holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in English from Davidson College. His doctoral research focused on the relationship between Scottish education and fiction in the early 19th century. He also completed non-degree graduate study in English at Trinity College Dublin and the University of Edinburgh.