Mark Pellatt
e-mail: mpellatt@wpcc.edu
Hi! I’m Mark Pellatt, the department head of social sciences and an instructor of history at Western Piedmont Community College. After a decade of teaching in both two- and four-year colleges, I came to WPCC in 2007 from Northeastern Technical College in Cheraw, SC, where I was an instructor of history and humanities. In addition to my teaching duties at Western Piedmont, I oversee the social sciences department and have been an active member of the College’s Faculty Staff Council.
I hold degrees from University of South Carolina and Appalachian State University and have also attended the College of Charleston, the Catholic University of America, and the National University of Ireland. By training I am a cultural historian of modern Britain and Ireland, and as such I have researched and written on topics as diverse as agrarian dynasties, Irish nationalism, post-WWII British cinema, and French gastronomy. To me history is a core discipline in the humanities, where the human experience is qualitatively examined through historical narratives.
In my career as a teacher, I have taught a variety of courses, ranging from American history to non-Western civilizations. At Western Piedmont I primarily teach the World Civilizations sequence and Cultural Studies. In my courses, I hope to provide a historical context to help students understand where we have come from and where we might be heading as individuals, as a nation, and as a global community. I also place a priority on students’ general education through effective written communication and by developing critical thinking skills, particularly using cause and effect over time.
I’m a native of the north shore of eastern Long Island, then spent my teenage years in the Blue Ridge community of Tryon, NC. In addition to my formal education, I worked for many years in the culinary field, including some time as a chef’s apprentice, and I continue to appreciate good food. I enjoy reading fiction and history, and I have recently begun studying the Irish language. I also like being outdoors and playing music.