Jennifer Marchisotto

Professor Jennifer Marchisotto, one of many amazing CAT professors, embodies the narrative of growth, resilience, and unwavering passion for literature. As an undergraduate student, Dr. Marchisotto learned the transformative power of literature. She credits texts such as those by Virginia Woolf and James Joyce as catalysts in reshaping her worldview. Reading various types of texts allows her to understand herself and the way she processes the world, altering the way she views literature and the impact that it could have on people. Dr. Marchisotto became interested in critical theory, specifically research in trauma as there are many limitations in this type of research.

Arriving at UCSD in 2013 as a graduate student delving into the realms of disability studies and intersectional studies, Dr. Marchisotto began to have aspirations of instilling knowledge and igniting curiosity in others. After initially starting out in Muir, Dr. Marchisotto transitioned into Sixth College, where she had much more freedom to incorporate her unique background to explore a diverse array of topics. She incorporates topics such as trauma and disability in a way that she hopes helps students find a connection to the subject matter and navigate their personal experiences. 

The primary influence guiding Dr. Marchisotto is establishing a classroom environment accommodating various neurotypes. She strives to structure lessons and communicate in a way that everyone can understand and engage with despite any difficulty or inaccessibility of the subject matter. Dr. Marchisotto creates this inclusive environment through thoughtful classroom discussions that break down complex articles so that all students have the opportunity to analyze and understand scholarly research. 

One of Dr. Marchisotto’s fondest memories is of her CAT 2 Winter 2023 Disability Studies course. The students were creative, respectful and kind to one another, and participated in lectures critically and thoughtfully. She attributes her love of teaching to her students. Dr. Marchisotto hopes that her students embrace the idea of multiple possibilities and pathways, prioritizing enjoying life alongside pursuing their goals. 

Outside of the classroom, Dr. Marchisotto owns the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore, an exciting, fun community space where people gather to discuss books and which creates a platform to highlight unique authors. The store had been around for 30 years before Dr. Marchisotto and her husband took over. Dr. Marchisotto’s favorite event at the bookstore was hosting a reading from fiction author, Victoria Schwab, recognized as the best-selling author of many books, including The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and the Shades of Magic series. Dr. Marchisotto holds a booth at Comic Con where she organizes book signings and curates author panels. She’s also amazingly good at claw machine games, especially pinball.

Dr. Marchisotto is one of the kindest and most passionate professors at UCSD. Anyone who has the opportunity to take one of her CAT courses should absolutely do so! If you have an interest in reading, she may even share some of her book recommendations with you. 🙂