Frances L. Helphinstine

Dr. Fran Helphinstine (63), commonly known as Fran, came to Morehead State as a student in
1959. After graduating, she became an instructor and faculty member with the Department of
English, where she has served for the past 52 years. She eventually went on to earn her Ph.D.
with specializations in Renaissance and Dramatic Literature from Indiana
University Bloomington in 1978. She has taught undergraduate courses in Shakespeare, the
English Renaissance, 17th century British literature and drama, as well as graduate-level courses
in Shakespeare, drama and bibliography and served as the Graduate Program Coordinator.

In her free time, Fran enjoys researching women of Jacobean court culture, performance theory,
classical literature influences in writing of Shakespeare and major features/trends in
contemporary prize-winning drama. She has received National Humanities Council grants for
continued studies with other scholars.

Since 1979, Helphinstine has served as scholarship advisor for Epsilon Theta Chapter of Chi
Omega. After more than five decades as a professor of English at Morehead State, Fran retired
in 2018. She received the 2018 Founders Award for University Service.