MC Student Government Association taps White for 2025-26 Faculty of the Year Award
Literature is more than a collection of written works to Daniel White; it’s a way to gain an appreciation for people and places that may otherwise be inaccessible.
“Literature enriches your ability to reach out and get to know a place and a people intimately, without ever having personally visited them,” said White, associate professor of English and Philosophy at Mississippi Christian University. “It enhances your desire to visit and understand their culture.”
Daniel White, 2025-26 Student Government Association Faculty of the Year, says coming to MC Is the best career choice he ever made.
White often references his favorite poet, Robert Morgan, who writes about the “wounds of intimacy” that come with human relationships.
“God made us to be culturally connected,” White said. “If we can be aware of that, then we can negotiate the wounds. Pieces of text can offer glimpses of fundamental truths that can help you become more compassionate, more empathetic in the way that you interact with each other.
“Literature can give you that understanding.”
White’s approach has resonated with students, who presented him with the 2025-26 Student Government Association Faculty of the Year award during Honors Convocation. Because the honor comes directly from students, it reflects a teacher who doesn’t just deliver content but genuinely connects with and invests in his students.
“It means a lot to me,” White said. “The reason why we’re here – the reason why MC exists – is for the students. They’re the purpose behind what we do. For them to want to recognize me for what I’ve done inside and outside of the classroom puts a unique perspective on this award.
“If there’s something about the way that I do my work that resonates with the students, it’s that I see them as people and work with them that way.”
White’s approach to teaching is memorable in itself. He turns even the task of taking roll into a learning exercise.
On the first day of class, he introduces himself with an adjective, such as “Delightful Dan,” then asks each student to follow suit. The exercise helps everyone learn each other’s names and, throughout the semester, White begins class by having a student name everyone in the room.
“As my buddy, Dr. (David) Miller, says, ‘If you’re going to show up for a class every single day, you ought to be in a place where people know your name.’ Students in that room know that I know who they are and the people around them do, too.
“That delivers on the promise of what MC is supposed to be: personal and connected, which is very much in line with the ‘Imago Dei’ concept.”
In Latin, “Imago Dei,” or “Image of God,” refers to the idea that human beings are uniquely created to reflect the divine character, intellect and moral capacity, which grants every person inherent sacred worth and dignity.
His colleagues recognize White’s approach to teaching. Daniel Watson, MC department chair of mathematics and computer science, said White is a naturally gifted communicator.
“He has a genuine gift with language, a true wordsmith, and that ability to articulate ideas with clarity and creativity makes him an exceptional educator,” said Watson, who has worked closely with White as co-chair of the Core Working Group. “Beyond that, his warmth and approachability mean that every student feels seen and welcomed from day one.”
Elizabeth Milner, MC assistant registrar of academic services, describes White as “efficient, courteous and kind.”
“Daniel is a huge encourager and goes out of his way to elevate and recognize strengths in those around him,” said Milner, who has served on several committees with White.
Kristi Melancon, MC professor and chair of the Department of English and World Languages, says White is “among the best of us.”
“His pedagogy is intentional, creative and effective,” said Melancon, MC’s 2025-26 Distinguished Professor of the Year.
“I am thrilled that SGA has recognized Dr. White for the outstanding teacher he is. He inspires me daily as his colleague, and I know he does the same for his students.”
White earned his B.A. and M.A. in English at Mississippi State University, where he was an English instructor for five years. He joined MC in 2012 after his wife, Ashley, encouraged him to apply for an open faculty position.
He landed the job and has been a valuable part of MC ever since, teaching a variety of English and core curriculum classes. His areas of expertise include information literacy, composition studies and qualitative research methods. He earned his Doctorate of Education from the University of Mississippi in 2020.
“(Moving to MC) Is the absolute best career choice I’ve ever made,” White said. “MC’s faith-forward component really resonates with me. The texts that we read in the World Masterpieces class are consistently on the concepts of faith, and we often use faith as the lens through which we understand and relate to the literature.”
White serves as a faculty sponsor for Rotaract, a service organization with the motto “Service Above Self,” a fitting reflection of how he lives and leads every day, and Sigma Tau Delta, MC’s English honor society. He enjoys oil painting, and many of his works adorn the third-floor office suite of Jennings Hall.
A devotee of the core curriculum, White is currently working alongside Watson and others to revise MC’s courses to embrace and enhance student discovery of core subjects.
“When I think of core classes like World Masterpieces, that class is often the last time that a biology major or a communications major will study literature with an expert. Or when an English major takes a required science or math class, it will be the last time he or she will ever have an opportunity to do that work under the guidance of someone who has the passion and expertise necessary to help them understand it,” he said.
“These classes are the last opportunities to enrich our students and make sure they become the fully well-rounded people that God wants them to be.”
