The College of Idaho Celebrates Diane Raptosh in Faculty Feature: “The Expression of Life”

The College of Idaho is proud to spotlight Diane Raptosh, professor of English and the Eyck-Berringer Endowed Chair of English, in a newly published faculty feature, “The Expression of Life,” written by Cynthia Mwenja, PhD.

A distinguished poet, educator, and alumna of The College of Idaho, Raptosh has shaped generations of students through her writing, teaching, and community-engaged work. The feature highlights the many ways Raptosh demonstrates the vital role poetry plays in the human experience—through her nine published volumes of poetry, her innovative course design, and her long-standing commitment to centering human stories that reveal deep truths.

Raptosh joined The College of Idaho faculty in 1990 and has since built a career marked by both artistic excellence and educational impact. Her work has earned statewide and national recognition, including the Idaho Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. She has served as Idaho’s Writer in Residence and was named the first poet laureate of Boise. Since 2002, she has held the Eyck-Berringer Endowed Chair of English.

The article explores Raptosh’s wide-ranging body of work, which examines America through deeply personal and universal lenses, as well as her most recent publications and current sabbatical projects. It also highlights her pioneering approach to high-impact teaching, including her long-running January term course, The Prison Experience, which connects students with literature, lived experience, and the realities of the American carceral system.

Equally central to the feature is Raptosh’s role as a mentor and teacher. Students describe her classrooms as spaces of unconditional respect, creative freedom, and meaningful connection—where poetry becomes a tool for understanding language, identity, and what it means to be human.

The College of Idaho congratulates Diane Raptosh on this well-deserved recognition and thanks Cynthia Mwenja, PhD, for capturing the depth of Raptosh’s contributions to our campus and beyond. We are proud to celebrate faculty whose lives and work embody the transformative power of education, creativity, and compassion.

Read the article HERE.