Alethea Gaarden is an Instructor of English and coordinates the Professional and Technical Writing Concentration at Mercyhurst. She grew up in the Erie area and earned her B.A. in English and Political Science at Mercyhurst University. She graduated with a Master of Arts in English at Ohio University with a focus on Old English and seafaring narratives. After she graduated from Ohio University, Ms. Gaarden joined the crew of the U.S. Brig Niagara, and worked as a deckhand and apprentice shipwright for several years before returning to Mercyhurst to teach. She retains a keen interest in sea stories and works alongside other Mercyhurst faculty to coordinate the Waves of the Past, Leaders of the Future program, for which students spend three weeks sailing aboard the Niagara while taking classes in English or History. She also serves as advisor to Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society.