About me
Kristin Arola grew in the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, just like generations of her Ojibwe and Finnish ancestors before her. Currently, she serves as the Gillmor Endowed Professor of Professional and Public Writing, as well as the Director of the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program, at Michigan State University. Her research foregrounds the cultural, ethical, and political dimensions of composing, particularly in relation to Indigenous knowledge systems and practices, with a focus on how multimodal writing functions as a tool for addressing environmental challenges. Arola’s research and teaching use an interdisciplinary approach that brings together writing studies, rhetorical theory, and American Indian studies. Arola’s scholarship is complemented by her commitment to community collaboration, including projects that support Indigenous language revitalization and storytelling across the Great Lakes region.
