I'm Victoria (Tory) Pennington, a passionate early literacy and play scholar. I earned my PhD in Literacy, Language, & Culture at Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina in August of 2025.  As a graduate research assistant on the CU Build ESOL grant from the Office of English Language Acquisition, I used my creativity and expertise to planning, designing, and implementing professional development modules. I'm served as the go-to Excel wizard, excited about the potential of AI to make data more visual and accessible across languages!

I am an incoming Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education at University of South Carolina Upstate in the College of Education, Human Performance, and Health. I will begin teaching courses in January, 2026. 

Working with teachers across our state to empower them to support multilingual learners is not just a position—it's one of my greatest passions. Beyond my work on the grant, I dive into the fascinating world of play and its intersections with literacy, language, and culture. I draw inspiration from posthumanism and multiliteracies theories to explore innovative approaches in education.

Playful research has the extraordinary potential to revolutionize education by fostering creativity, critical thinking, and engagement. It encourages learners to explore and express themselves dynamically, breaking free from traditional constraints. By implementing playful research and teaching practices, we can create inclusive, joyful, and transformative learning experiences that resonate with all students. Together, we can reimagine education as a playground for curiosity and discovery, where every learner thrives.