About Us
Dr. Wilkins Faculty Spotlight Q&A

Dr. Catherine Wilkins has been teaching in the Honors College since 2015 and enjoys leading courses in Arts and Humanities, Geographical Perspectives, Capstone, and Acquisition of Knowledge. Check out the question-and-answer below to learn more about Dr. Wilkins.
1) What is your educational/research background?
When I began my undergraduate studies back in 1997, I had no idea what I wanted to
do in terms of a career. I took a Humanities class because it was a General Education
requirement for just about any sort of degree – and it changed my life! I fell in
love with the study of art and literature and music, and still haven't stopped learning
and thinking about these things. I received my BA in Humanities right here at USF,
then went on to grad school at Tulane University in New Orleans, where I earned a
Master's degree in Art History and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. involving study in the
fields of History, Art History, and Literature.
2) What is your favorite area of study/research?
My primary area of focus is 19th century to contemporary visual culture – encompassing
everything from painting and photography to film and television. As a native Floridian,
I also am passionate about sharing our rich local history with others. I'm especially
interested in the ways in which people have used the arts to reflect and shape sociopolitical
issues and values, in the past and present.
3) How many years have you been working in the Honors College?
I’ve been teaching in the Honors College since 2015, and I'm still so excited and
grateful to be back at USF. After I received my Ph.D., I taught for several years
at other schools, like University of Colorado Boulder and Florida Southwestern State
College. There is no place like the Honors College, though.
4) What are all of the classes you teach in the Honors College?
I teach a lot of different classes! Mostly Arts and Humanities, Geoperspectives, and Capstone
courses, but also Acquisition of Knowledge. Some of the topics I've taught in the
past include New Media Studies, The Romantic Spirit, and Weird Nature. One course
I’m really excited about is Healing Arts, a class I teach at the James Museum in St.
Pete, where students learn to facilitate interactions with art for people dealing
with memory loss. It's really a unique opportunity for students to conduct interdisciplinary
research at the intersection of art and medicine, while also providing a great service
to the community. I am consistently impressed and proud of the student work that has
come out of this course.
5) What is your favorite class that you teach at the Honors College?
Well, I really love the Healing Arts class. It has been incredibly rewarding to grow
that program and work with students on meaningful research in the fields of Art and
Mental Health. Having said that, the class that's nearest and dearest to my heart
is probably From Middens to Mermaids: Florida, a Cultural History of Place. This class
is all about using experiential learning to connect students to their local community
and its colorful past. We take a lot of field trips to some of my favorite spots in
the area, to explore the hidden history of Tampa Bay and reveal connections to contemporary
issues from climate change to human trafficking. Although we address some pretty heavy
topics from a critical perspective, we also have a lot of fun. As a native Floridian,
it's my goal to help students better understand and more deeply love this complicated
and beautiful state that we call home.
6) What is one lesson you want all of your students to take away from studying your
course?
In every course I teach, my goal is to demonstrate that there are valuable lessons
to be learned from the past, particularly from the cultural artifacts that previous
generations have left behind. I want students to become more curious about the world
in which they live and the origins of our current values, ideas, and society. Hopefully
students will be able to perceive the applicability of what we're learning in my classes,
and understand and build connections between class content and what happens in their
lives outside of school. I think ideally an education should inspire students to care
about the community that surrounds them and become responsible contributing citizens
within it.
7) What do you like about being a faculty member in the Honors College?
The students are the best part. Honors students are intelligent, hard-working, creative,
and deeply inspiring to me. I really appreciate the collaborations I've been able
to have with students here, both in the classroom and working on thesis projects and
undergraduate research.
8) What activities do you like to do for fun when you're not teaching in the Honors
College?
I'm kind of a crazy cat lady! I have four cats at home, and volunteer at the Save
Our Strays shelter once a week. I'm also totally a nature girl. I love being outside,
kayaking, riding my bike, and hanging out at the beach. I find it so peaceful to feel
my toes in the sand, go floating in the Gulf, and read goofy Florida fiction, like
Tim Dorsey and Carl Hiassen, while watching the sunset. I also try to pick up trash
every time I take a walk on the beach – I'm pretty passionate about environmental
issues, and feel like I should do my part, no matter how small, to minimize the pollution
that threatens marine life.