2008 Woodie Awards
New Faculty Members for 2004-2005: Pam Sheff
Rebecca Schwartz
Issue date: 10/13/04 Section: Features
Although not new to Goucher, Pamela Sheff is now a full-time assistant professor in the English department.
Before accepting this commitment, Sheff juggled her Goucher career with her business as a communications consultant. While she admits to keeping a few "special clients," Sheff decided to become a full time professor to devote more time to her passion: teaching. She is glad to have made this career move, and enjoys "focusing on Goucher."
Although part-time in the past, Sheff has always been fully committed to the English department. Last year she was the director of the Writing Program, where she is currently the assistant director. This year Sheff is also the instructor of the Frontiers class, "Class at Work in America: A Question of Teeth," which is devoted to examining class differences.
Aside from her class responsibilities, Sheff helps determine the placement of all first-year students into the Writing Program; she is very impressed with the caliber of the students, and with the environment Goucher provides for them.
"I like the sense of energy, the close contact, and the encouragement to grow," said Sheff.
Sheff's youngest daughter is a junior at Goucher. She also has an older daughter who is a law clerk, and a son who just graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Sheff also received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Masters and Ph.D. from Harvard University.
"I want my students to have confidence to explore any subject, to know how to learn, to be afraid to take risks, and to know it takes intellectual and communication skills to be successful," said Sheff.
If that seems like a little too much to absorb, just try to have a "glorious good time," she added.
Before accepting this commitment, Sheff juggled her Goucher career with her business as a communications consultant. While she admits to keeping a few "special clients," Sheff decided to become a full time professor to devote more time to her passion: teaching. She is glad to have made this career move, and enjoys "focusing on Goucher."
Although part-time in the past, Sheff has always been fully committed to the English department. Last year she was the director of the Writing Program, where she is currently the assistant director. This year Sheff is also the instructor of the Frontiers class, "Class at Work in America: A Question of Teeth," which is devoted to examining class differences.
Aside from her class responsibilities, Sheff helps determine the placement of all first-year students into the Writing Program; she is very impressed with the caliber of the students, and with the environment Goucher provides for them.
"I like the sense of energy, the close contact, and the encouragement to grow," said Sheff.
Sheff's youngest daughter is a junior at Goucher. She also has an older daughter who is a law clerk, and a son who just graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Sheff also received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Masters and Ph.D. from Harvard University.
"I want my students to have confidence to explore any subject, to know how to learn, to be afraid to take risks, and to know it takes intellectual and communication skills to be successful," said Sheff.
If that seems like a little too much to absorb, just try to have a "glorious good time," she added.