5 Questions with Bill Rudolph

Prior to joining the Writing, Reading, and Speaking Center in 2016, Bill taught AP English, humanities, and other writing and literature courses at Grinnell High School. An accomplished writer, his original poetry has been published in Barrow Street, The Madison Review, Midwest Review, North Dakota Quarterly, The North American Review, Poetry East, Quarterly West, Rattle, The South Dakota Review, Steam Ticket, and dozens of other literary journals. 

Q: What can you tell us about Bill Rudolph’s early years? 

A: I was born in an insane asylum — or rather a building that had, years before, served as an asylum — in Canton, South Dakota; nonetheless, the 18 years I lived in that small, rural town were typically sane — spent as a mediocre student, involved in everything from multiple music groups to different sports every season, with summers filled with lifeguarding, bean walking, and generally adolescenting. Besides having the renown of being my, my father’s, and my father’s father’s birthplace  Canton, South Dakota, is the home of Oli Rolvaag, author of Giants in the Earth and E. O. Lawrence who invented the cyclotron (and for whom Lawrencium is named). Given that Lawrence, my father’s father, and my two sisters matriculated at The University of South Dakota, I figured I should too — a decision that proved to solidify my love for literature and writing.

Q: How did you end up in Grinnell?

A: Because I had hoped to attend the Iowa’s Writer’s Workshop, when my wife, Paula, graduated from USD, she and I interviewed for teaching jobs as near to Iowa City as possible. (Eventually, I earned my MFA in Poetry through Vermont College’s low-residency program). We arrived in Grinnell in 1990, when my wife accepted a job to teach special education at Grinnell Middle School; later transferring to 5th grade, she taught at GMS for 32 years before retiring a couple of years ago. We raised a daughter and a son here, who are currently adulting, respectively, as an art teacher and an engineer — our daughter and her husband raising three Grinnell-worthy children. After 22 years spent teaching secondary literature and writing, nine years ago, I found my way across town from Grinnell High School to Grinnell College. 

Q: What does your role at Grinnell College entail?

A: As part of the Writing, Reading, and Speaking Center, I work with individual students on writing assignments, presentations, and applications during every stage of the writing process. Also, along with several colleagues, I teach Writing 101, a one-credit course that provides student writers with processes helpful in developing the quality of writing expected at Grinnell. In addition, in past years, I have enjoyed teaching students at both the men’s and women’s prisons through Grinnell’s Liberal Arts in Prison Program.

Q:What interests you outside of your work? 

A: Because I’m interested in everything, having students bring in papers from all disciplines is a gift to my jack-of-all-trades way of being in the world. Yet, complementing my work in the writing center, my personal writing remains my most necessary activity, if not a spiritual practice — certainly one that helps keep me sane. While considering writing the most serious of play — I also play with my three grandkids as often as possible, walk my dogs twice a day, play tennis, swim, read…and did I mention writing?

Q: What do you enjoy most about working at the College?

A: Some of my favorite moments at Grinnell have happened when I’ve gained paradigm-altering insights while working with colleagues, sitting in on semester-long classes (I’ve completed four!), and especially, working with students: there’s nothing more gratifying than to hear that a student has done well in a class, received a prestigious honor, or been accepted into an elite graduate program after you’ve helped them improve their communication skills.