Sophie Mills, DPhil

Professor Sophie Mills is an accomplished educator, scholar, and author with nearly four decades of experience in higher education. Born in London, England, she began her academic career teaching at the Universities of Oxford and Bristol before joining the University of North Carolina Asheville in 1994. Over the course of more than 32 years at the institution, she has served as Professor, Department Chair for approximately 16 years, Distinguished Professor, and most recently Professor of English following the university's transition from a Classics department. Her academic leadership includes overseeing curriculum development, mentoring students, and advancing excellence in teaching and scholarship.

Dr. Mills specializes in English, Classical Studies, Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Greek and Latin literature, Greek tragedy, historiography, and imperialism. Her research has explored the rhetoric of the Athenian Empire, Greek tragedy, classical reception, and interdisciplinary learning. An accomplished author and international scholar, she has published extensively in leading academic journals and books and recently published her first book, The Image of Classics and Classicists in Modern Fiction: Seducers, Slayers and Survivors. Throughout her career, she has presented at international conferences and contributed significantly to the advancement of classical scholarship.

Recognized for her exceptional teaching, scholarship, and academic leadership, Professor Mills has received numerous prestigious honors, including the UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Society for Classical Studies Collegiate Teaching Award, and designation as NEH Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Humanities. She also served as President of the Classical Association of the Middle West and South from 2022 to 2023. Inspired by a lifelong passion for learning and teaching, she remains dedicated to helping students achieve their full potential while advancing scholarship in the humanities.