Extra Stuff

I am a first-generation American and the first in my family to graduate from college. My dad was a tailor who did not get to attend school back in Turkey. My mom was the only girl in her neighborhood who attended high school. Suffice to say, as immigrants to America, my parents were very enthusiastic about education for my brother and me.

In my 20+ year career as a teacher, I have worked with approximately 5000 students (crazy!) It’s the lifeblood of my work and the thing that I (and all my teaching colleagues) spend the bulk of my time doing. But we faculty also contribute to the Shared Governance model in higher education. I have served on scores of committees over the years, representing my department in the faculty senate, and eventually, in two terms as the Campus Faculty Senate President. It was cool to receive recognition for all this work in the form of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Faculty Service in 2020 and continue to serve the college in many ways.

In addition to teaching and college service (oh yeah, and raising kids with my husband!), I have been lucky to keep up with writing (personal and academic) and presenting at conferences. I have peer reviewed for some wonderful publications over the years, including The European Romantic Review, The Keats-Shelley Journal, Eighteenth Century Theory and Culture, and Journal of Middle Eastern Women’s Studies.

Thanks for reading!