WASHINGTON, D.C., September 02, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Mike Kolakoski, PhD, has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Dr. Kolakoski has established a distinguished career in higher education and literary scholarship, marked by a decade of service as a senior lecturer at the University of Maryland, beginning in 2016. In this capacity, he teaches three to four class sections per semester--electing most summers to teach an additional course each year--engages in departmental service, mentors fellow lecturers and conducts independent research, writing and publishing beyond formal job requirements. His expertise encompasses American literature and film, rhetoric, composition and the specialized field of listening studies, for which he is widely recognized. In addition to his primary role, he has also served as a lecturer at the University of Maryland since 2015, instructing English courses such as 101 Academic Writing Honors and Freshman Connection, American and Global Literature, as well as courses cross-listed with Cinema Studies, American Studies and African American Studies.
Prior to his tenure at the University of Maryland, Dr. Kolakoski was an adjunct professor at Marymount University for three years, where he taught several English courses. From 2012 to 2015, he contributed as an adjunct professor at the University of Mary Washington. Dr. Kolakoski also held an adjunct professorship at American University for one year and held the same role at James Madison University for one year, where he instructed courses in Women's Studies and American Literature. He credits his passion and perseverance to endure the drudgery of adjunct life and offers his services to anyone currently in an adjunct role.
Dr. Kolakoski's foundational teaching experience began as a graduate associate in teaching at the University of Arizona from 2005 to 2010. There, he led English courses while also pursuing advanced studies. His professional path began with his first position as an editorial coordinator for the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences from 2001 to 2003, while completing his master's degree.
A member of the Modern Language Association of America, Dr. Kolakoski is lauded for integrating listening studies into literary scholarship--a pioneering achievement that distinguishes his academic contributions. His most notable work is the essay "The Many Roles of Listening in Frederick Douglass's Narrative of the Life and The Heroic Slave," published by Salem Press in Critical Insights: Frederick Douglass in 2018. This publication exemplifies his innovative approach: applying listening studies--traditionally advanced by psychologists--to American literature, film and fiction. Through this lens, he has mapped how narrative conflict often hinges on acts of listening between characters, fundamentally reshaping scholarly understanding within these fields.
Educationally, Dr. Kolakoski's credentials are extensive. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy in literature from the University of Arizona in 2013 after receiving a dissertation award there in 2012. He also holds a master's degree in English from George Mason University, completed in 2003, and a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in philosophy from James Madison University, awarded in 1999.
Beyond his education, Dr. Kolakoski attributes his success to two foundational pillars: unwavering family support and transformative mentorship. Family provided him with both emotional encouragement and financial assistance throughout his academic pursuits. His influential teachers--including high school English instructors Ms. Moriarty and Ms. Andrews--and mentors like Dr. Susan White and Dr. Charlie Scruggs shaped his intellectual development. He honors these relationships by explicitly crediting his mentors during instruction, embodying his belief that education is an act of transmission where knowledge passes from one generation to the next.
In his free time, beyond academia, Dr. Kolakoski has demonstrated civic commitment providing support for adults with severe alcohol disorder. He finds fulfillment in such volunteer service as well as music performance, song- and poetry-writing. He also enjoys gardening, hiking, and athletics as leisure activities. Above all, he considers fatherhood his greatest joy and prioritizes time with his spouse, Christine, and their son, Niko.
Looking ahead, Dr. Kolakoski aims to expand his publishing output in listening studies and American literature-he is currently working on a project combining his previous scholarship on the trope of listening with the work of N. Scott Momaday-while pursuing new creative directions through poetry publication and renewed engagement with music. He also intends to maintain his dedication to teaching and scholarship.
About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. The suite of Marquis® publications, including Who's Who in America® and Who's Who in the World®, remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the globe. Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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