The College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS) has named Jeffrey Reaser the Walt Wolfram Distinguished Professor in Sociolinguistics, recognizing his contributions to research, teaching and community engagement in the study of language and dialects.

Reaser is a professor in the Department of English and director of the Language and Life Project at NC State. His appointment reflects a career dedicated to advancing the understanding of language variation while connecting scholarship with communities across North Carolina and beyond.

Through the creation of endowed professorships, donors enable the college to invest in faculty whose scholarship advances their disciplines while enriching the student experience. These appointments provide additional resources for research, mentorship and community engagement, ensuring that academic excellence continues to flourish across the college.

“We could hardly have asked for a better person than Jeff to step into this role as the inaugural Wolfram Distinguished Professor.”

The Wolfram professorship honors Walt Wolfram, who recently retired after 34 years at NC State. An internationally renowned sociolinguist, Wolfram’s groundbreaking research, public engagement, and transformative teaching contributed to the university becoming a leader in language and dialect studies.

Reaser, a former student of Wolfram who later became his colleague in the English department, is the inaugural recipient.

This endowed professorship was established through a generous gift from the Wolfram family. It will enable Reaser to expand several initiatives he developed with Wolfram while creating new opportunities for research and student involvement.

Among his plans are using the Language and Life Project’s annual exhibit at the State Fair to collect new linguistic data, such as emerging uses of the word “y’all.” He also intends to continue the project’s documentary work through shorter educational videos and social media content designed to reach broader audiences.

“Hopefully these changes will lead to both research and extension opportunities for my colleagues and students,” he said.

Reaser has authored or co-authored five books and more than 20 scholarly publications. Books he co-authored with Wolfram include Language and Life on Ocracoke: The Living History of the Brogue and Talkin’ Tar Heel: How Our Voices Tell the Story of North Carolina.

“It is truly an honor — and more than a little overwhelming — to be entrusted with carrying on the legacy of a mentor, colleague, friend and true giant of the field.”

An award-winning teacher and mentor, Reaser has received numerous college and university honors for advising, teaching and undergraduate mentorship. He also serves in leadership roles within national linguistics organizations and continues to prepare future English educators at NC State.

Jason Swarts, head of the Department of English, said the professorship also reflects the department’s longstanding strength in sociolinguistics and its commitment to community-engaged research. He said Reaser is uniquely qualified to build on that foundation.

“We could hardly have asked for a better person than Jeff to step into this role as the inaugural Wolfram Distinguished Professor,” Swarts said. “He is not only a productive and respected scholar in his own right, but he is also equally committed to the same kind of community-engaged sociolinguistic work that Walt had been doing.”

Reaser and Swarts also recognized the generosity of the Wolfram family, emphasizing that the gift reflects their commitment to honoring Walt Wolfram’s lasting contributions to the field.

“It is truly an honor — and more than a little overwhelming — to be entrusted with carrying on the legacy of a mentor, colleague, friend and true giant of the field,” Reaser said.

Swarts noted that the professorship also carries special meaning for the department. “Walt, of course, has meant a great deal to this department, but it is clear that the department, the college and the university have also meant a great deal to Walt and his family,” he said.