Miracle Gardner is an M.A. student in the Rhetoric, Writing, & Linguistics program and teaching assistant for the English Department. Miracle’s academic and personal journey is deeply rooted in the power of storytelling as both a cultural practice and rhetorical act. Her research interests explore the intersections of identity, language, and writing, with a focus on cultural rhetorics, Native American/Indigenous Studies, composition pedagogy, and rhetorics of power.

Before joining UTK, Miracle earned a B.A. in Secondary Education/English at the University of Wyoming, which allowed her to experience first-hand teaching in diverse communities from rural Wyoming to Rotterdam, The Netherlands. These experiences shaped her perspective on language equity and intercultural competence, especially for students with varying cultural and linguistic identities, and inspire her ongoing advocacy for integrating more research-informed inclusive practices in education.

When she is not in the classroom, Miracle loves to spend her time watching horror movies, writing short-fiction, traveling, and adding to her extensive collection of orca-related items.