English and Communication Faculty
Dr. Maria Polski
Maria Polski received her Ph.D. in General Philology at Moscow Lomonosov University. At East-West University, Chicago, she teaches Communication, Linguistics and Humanities. Her research interests include theory of culture (the structure, growth and selection of cultural phenomena), communication theory (the structure, growth and accumulation of communication media, and the influence of medium on audience), and practical pedagogy: creating a teachable system for undergraduates to be aware of the cognitive skills promoted by different communication technologies
Bill Hillmann
Dr. Bill Hillmann earned his Ph.D. from the University of Louisiana. He is the author of the novel The Old Neighborhood (2014) which won “Best Book of 2014” from the Chicago Sun-Times Agenda section and received international acclaim. The Old Neighborhood is in the process of being turned into a feature film. He’s written two memoirs about his experiences running with the bulls in Spain, Mozos (2015) which was translated to Corriendo Con Hemingway (2016) and published in Spain by Grupo Planeta and The Pueblos (2021). Both books received international media attention. He’s given expert commentary on the running of the bulls for BBC World Service, The TODAY Show, New York Times, Times of India, The Australian, and others and been a subject in several documentaries like Chasing Red (2020). Hillmann’s journalism and essays have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, NPR, VICE, Washington Post, Daily Mail, Toronto Star, Daily Beast, Outside, LA Times, Diario De Navarra, CBC Radio Canada, and he has written on TV segments for National Geographic Channel and Canal Plus Toros. Hillmann is also a live storyteller whose stories have been broadcast on NPR. He’s also the creator of the Windy City Story Slam and the National Story Slam; his storytelling events have taken place on the main stage of the Chicago Tribune Printer’s Row Lit Fest, the Edinburgh Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, The Book Club in London, UK, and the Philadelphia Book Festival.
Bonnie Jean Adams
Bonnie Jean Adams is an Adjunct Professor in the English & Communication Department. She has a PhD in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies from Loyola University Chicago. Her expertise is in Cultural Communication, and she has travelled extensively in the United States and overseas. She has spoken at conferences, including the Engineers Without Borders Conference, and has worked with administrators at Oglala Lakota College. The clients in her private tutoring business, “A Different Drummer”, are new language learners and special needs students. An experienced speaker and published author, her research has been published in sociology textbooks. She also works as a journalist, and is a reporter in Chicago. In addition to teaching, she tutors East-West students in writing and study skills. Her interests include research, ethnography, interviewing and community involvement. “I tell my students that everyone has a story to tell. Listen. Don’t miss any opportunity.” Her goal is always to ‘make it real’ by bringing the outside world into her classroom teaching. “Never stop asking why.”
Sandra Bykowski
Sandra Bykowski has a master’s in public policy from DePaul University and completed the Master’s Program for Writers program at the University of Illinois, Chicago, where she taught English composition. She is a founding writer, producer, and performer at DB Comedy, whose current podcast “The Electables” is a comedic and historical discussion of the 46 US presidents. She has been an instructional designer and a private tutor, teaching folks from age 3 to 63. Sandra combines her passion for politics, history, writing, and comedy, enabling her to teach courses as varied as Intro to Comedy Writing and the Development of Political Thought.
Dr. Lawrence Gorman
Dr. Lawrence Gorman received his BA in English from Divine Word College, his MA in English from the University of Northern Iowa, and his PhD in English from Northern Illinois University. He has been teaching at East-West University since 1983. He served as Academic Dean from 1986-1991 and as Director of the English Program 1983-20015. He is presently a Professor Emeritus. His specializations include 16th Century and 20th Century English Literature and Contemporary American Literature. He has written articles and given presentations on the role of the teacher and English curriculum, on media ecology, and Don DeLillo’s White Noise. His current interests are the nature of literature and the relation of literature and culture, with a particular interest in what culture requires and how the arts contribute to culture’s development. He is also interested in how literature affects readers and contributes to their growth and development.
Robert Milstein
Robert Milstein is a graduate of Arizona State University with a Master of Arts in Communication, and a Bachelor of Arts Magna cum Laude in Political Science/Education. Milstein was an elected Village Trustee in Oak Park, Illinois where he was Villager of the Year in 2003. In other public service, he chaired the Community Relations Commission; served on the Diversity Task Force and was a Police Oversight Commissioner. He also served on the staff of legislators in both the Arizona State House of Representatives and State Senate. Mr. Milstein has extensive background in sales and marketing. He worked for McGraw Hill/London House, and had sales and management positions with Tandy Corporation. He was also a radio announcer on KCEE AM/FM and a news reporter for the NPR station at Univ. of Arizona. He had the opportunity to interview Senator Robert Kennedy during his run for President; Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel; Russell Means a Native American activist and Fred Rogers, better known as Mr Rogers.
Zachary Swezy
Zachary Swezy is a graduate of the Roosevelt University MFA program and holds a Bachelor’s of Psychology degree from Loyola University of Chicago. He has had poetry and fiction featured by: The Poetry Foundation, Paper Magazine, RÜV, Maudlin House, The Southside Weekly and others. He spent eight years doing journalism and copywriting within the music industry, working alongside large companies like Redbull, Perrier, and Adidas before earning his Master’s degree and beginning his adjunct career. He is currently teaching Writing from Sources and Writing for Digital Media. As a professor, Zachary values the importance of building group dynamics, open communication, and editing. His classes focus primarily on finding reliable sources and honing student’s editing skills.
Nat Wrhel
Nat Wrhel holds a MA in English, a BA in Theatre, and a BA in Philosophy and Religion, all from Truman State University in Kirksville, MO. Additionally, they have worked at professional theatres such as The Ohio Light Opera and Ozark Actors Theatre. They are an active researcher in the field of LGBTQ+ representation in media and have broken new ground with the thesis "The Acest of Aces: Representations of Asexuality in Fiction." As an instructor, Nat focuses on critical thinking and encouraging students to delve deeply into topics of interest. Nat is currently teaching Writing from Sources and College Preparatory English
Mark Wright
Mark H. Wright was born in Chicago, but was soon exiled to Peoria. He returned to Chicago as soon as he could, getting three degrees at Northwestern University in Communication Studies, with a concentration in Rhetorical Theory. He writes about topics in the history of rhetorical theory, and likes to point out theories that don’t work. After graduate school he worked for ten years in Central Florida, and Twenty-one years in Tokyo, Japan, where he taught speaking and writing at a women’s college. He’s been back in Chicagoland since the pandemic, working part time. Recently he’s been shopping around some translations of selections from French Belletrist writers about rhetoric. He wrote a novel, but you’ll never see it. When not setting the world on fire, Mark likes to read widely for pleasure. He also likes to garden. He and his partner have torn up not only their yard in pursuit of this hobby, but a community garden plot as well. When it’s too hot to garden, they go to the movies.
Nedaa Zayed
Nedaa Zayed received her Master’s in Teaching English as a Foreign Language at Birzeit University, Birzeit, Palestine. She taught communication and English at Al-Quds University in Abu Dis, Palestine, and volunteered as an English instructor in the school for orphans in Amman, Jordan. At EWU, Ms. Zayed teaches freshman composition. Her research interests include technology in the classroom, methods of teaching, and the impact of cultural attitudes on learning motivation.
English and Communication
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