Philadelphia native, former nun, author, scholar, public speaker, and emeritus professor of literature, film, and gender’s studies
Dr. Kathleen (Kate) Joyce Waites is a Philadelphia native, former nun, author, scholar, public speaker, and emeritus professor of literature, film, and gender studies. Based on a true family story and set in Philadelphia during World War II, her forthcoming debut novel, The Faithful Ones (TouchPoint Press), was inspired by her aunt’s recollections and artifacts and supplemented by extensive research.
Social (in)justice themes consistently emerge from the author’s creative writing. These are also evidenced in her academic writing— published in scholarly books and journals—which explores the representation of sex and gender identities in literature and visual media texts. She earned a doctorate in English and Women’s Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, an MA in English at Villanova University and bachelor’s degree in English and Communication Arts from Holy Family University in Philadelphia. At the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL, she founded the Gender Studies program and taught literature, film, and gender studies classes for over three decades and was three times named Distinguished Professor of the year. She is a featured speaker on memoir writing, film, and social justice issues for campus and community events.
A proponent of student activism throughout her teaching tenure, she helped organize and advise student groups committed to social justice and equality, including the GSSA (Gay Straight Student Alliance), SASA (Social Action Social Awareness), and the NSU chapter of the AAUW (American Association of University Women). Recognized by the Fort Lauderdale chapter of the National Organization of Women with the Susan B. Anthony Award in the 90s for her feminist activism, in 2013 she was invited to give a TEDxNSU talk on Feminism: “An ‘F’ Word Revival in the New Millennium.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLAHAEu_nAU). Currently, she is a member of the Broward County Chapter of the UN-USA.
The author’s foray into creative writing began with her memoir, Particular Friendships: A Convent Memoir (2006). It was named one of the featured books of the year by the Broward County Library’s Literary Feast, 2007, alongside the works of authors John Dickerson, Ishmael Beah, and Adriana Trigiani, among others. At the request of NSU undergraduate students, in 2014 she delivered her “Last Lecture: Stories and Self-Reflection” the text of which appears in NSU’s Quadrivium. (https://nsuworks.nova.edu/quadrivium/vol1/iss1/10/).