Quesenberry Smith, a native of Blacksburg, VA,听has instructed English and American Literature,听creative writing, composition, and developmental reading and writing since听2009.听In听2013, she joined听the faculty at VMI where she teaches听the first-year courses in听writing and rhetoric. She earned a B.A. in biology and a B.A. in English literature听in 1985听from Hollins University听and returned a fifth year to complete an听M.A. in English literature and creative writing听in 1986.听In 2024, she听obtained a Ph.D. at Virginia Tech听where she studied听with听Bradley Bowen, Ph.D.,听Sheila Carter Todd, Ph.D., John Wells, Ph.D., and other听writing, rhetoric,听and STEM听education听scholars. Her doctoral research听investigated the nature and听perceptions听of听undergraduate students鈥櫶齭hort critical reflective writing within their hands-on technology听and engineering听design-based听learning听in听three听capstone classes in听computer and information听sciences听at VMI.听After earning her Ph.D., she was awarded a National听Security Agency听Grant听at VMI. This grant听supported听the design of a听collaborative research听project where she听mentored听two cadets鈥櫶齯ndergraduate research and writing听about听technology, engineering, and cybersecurity innovations听which resulted in a听systematic literature review about ways educators use 鈥渃yber-tools鈥� to support听critical reflective writing within technology and engineering problem-solving.听Cadet Stephen Ralis听and Smith presented 鈥淐yber-tools for Critical Reflection during Technology and Engineering Design Based Problem Solving: A Systematic Review of Techno-Constructivist Approaches鈥澨齛t the Writing Education across Borders Conference (WEAB) in Salt Lake City, UT,听on听September听21, 2024.鈥疭mith continues to research听the ways cyber-tools, such as AI and generative AI, might support critical reflection and critical reflective writing听during hands-on design- and project-based听initiatives.听听
Smith听has written in many genres. She听is听especially听interested in the interplay between science, technology, and creative writing.听As a poet听and essayist, she听is听published听in听literary magazines and online journals.听In November 2024, she was appointed for a two-year term as Virginia鈥檚 Poet Laureate. In August 2025, she was awarded one of twenty-three Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowships. As a result听of this award, she听directs听Perseverance and Resilience, a civic project听that supports听American听veterans and their communities through poetry.听Smith and her husband, Douglas N. Smith,听also听a faculty member at VMI, share several creative听film and screenwriting projects, including听Between Two Fires,听an award-winning documentary about the forced repatriation of Soviet citizens听after World听War II;听a听multi-platform听project which includes a听graphic novel听and screenplay听entitled听Eagle in the Snow;听and听a film project听in听development entitled 鈥淒aughter of the Stars,鈥� set in the Shenandoah听Parkway听where听private properties were seized by听eminent domain听for the park听land. Smith and her husband live at the foot of House Mountain in Kerrs Creek, where they have raised their ten children.听