Jessica O’Hara

Professional Bio

Jessica O’Hara’s scholarship focuses primarily on contemporary Irish and British literature, examining the rhetorics of identity, citizenship, and affiliation in post-imperial cultural contexts. Above all, she prizes teaching the talented students here at Penn State and seeks out ways to enrich the undergraduate experience through curriculum design and engagement opportunities. She taught in Penn State’s Ireland Summer Study Abroad program several times and also serves as faculty adviser to the Penn State Irish Society, an undergraduate student organization. In addition to her fascination with all things Irish, Jessica co-directs and teaches Rhetoric and Civic Life, an exciting multi-modal honors course she had a hand in developing since its inception. She also enjoys teaching mostly dance-oriented group exercise classes and volunteering as a show choir director at Centre Learning Community Charter School.