Biography

Michelle H. Kocay has been an Assistant Professor in the First Year Studies Department teaching Reading, Writing and Freshman Seminar since 2004. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing/English from Wichita State University and a BA in English with a Creative Writing Concentration from Connecticut College, with minors in Studio Art and Art History. While at Wichita State University she was awarded a university fellowship in fiction writing. Her fiction has appeared in The Village Voice, Confrontation, Mikrokosmos and College Voice Magazine. She has also authored several pieces for Editors Only Magazine. Prior to teaching at HCC, Professor Kocay taught English and ESL at Wichita State University, Butler County Community College and Capital Community College.

Her academic interests include: Diversity Awareness/Inclusive Education, Accessibility Issues related to learning/disability awareness, Interdisciplinary Education, Creativity Across the Curriculum, and incorporating activities catered to all types of learning styles.

Outside of teaching her interests and pursuits include: travel, writing, reading, art, theater, jewelry and home goods design, exercise/competitive sports, and animal rescue and adoption activities. She lives in the Greater Hartford area with her boyfriend and a house full of rescue cats.