Rate My Professor Miriam Ragland

Miriam Ragland is Professor of Theatre in the Drama department at Presbyterian College, where she has been a faculty member for 24 years. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Performance Studies from Northwestern University, Master of Fine Arts in Directing from the University of Memphis, and Master’s of Advocacy and Social Policy from Furman University. During her MFA program, which was heavily focused on teaching, Ragland served as a teaching assistant, igniting her passion for education. Following a year as a freelance theatre artist in Seattle, she sought academic positions across the country and, upon visiting Presbyterian College, immediately felt at home on campus.

Ragland's teaching portfolio includes Introduction to Theatre, Devised Theatre, Theatre for Social Change, and African American Theatre. Her professional interests encompass theatre for social change, devising original work, and creating welcoming spaces that promote creativity. She is experienced in leading dialogue workshops that foster deep listening and constructive discussions on controversial topics. Additionally, Ragland holds certifications in Pilates and Yoga. In recognition of her innovative pedagogical approaches, she received the Award for Innovative Teaching from the South Carolina Theatre Festival and American College Theatre Festival in 2014. Currently, Ragland is actively contributing to the revitalization of the performing arts program at Presbyterian College. She has spearheaded efforts to refurbish the long-unused black box theatre in the Harper Arts Center. The college has established a partnership with Laurens County Community Theatre, scheduling PC productions in the fall and community theatre shows in the spring. These initiatives coincide with the merger of the art, music, and theatre programs into the unified Department of Visual and Performing Arts, positioning the performing arts at Presbyterian College to thrive as never before.