When naming her official title, Professor Anne Godson-Glynn called herself a “wife, mother of four, and director of the writing center.” However, those who know Professor Glynn have learned that she is also an encouraging, positive faculty member who dedicates plentiful time to her position at the Siena College Writing Center, which she began in this past September. In addition to teaching English classes, Professor Glynn also trains future peer tutors to be valuable, helpful contributors to the Siena student body. Pay a visit to the Writing Center to say hello!
Hometown: Brunswick, New York. Twelve years ago my husband and I moved back to the area and bought my childhood home, an old farmhouse just outside of Troy.
Years at Siena: 12, although sometimes it seems that I started as a student and never left.
Favorite Book / Author: That’s a tough one. I majored in history as an undergrad, so it goes without saying that I love historical fiction. My all-time favorite is probably Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, and I’m currently reading another of his novels, Thirteen Moons. I am also a huge fan of Irish poet Eavan Boland. Dr. Fitzgerald-Hoyt introduced me to her work when I was a student in Contemporary Irish Fiction. Try to read “The Pomegranate,” a poem about growing up and growing old, without getting teary. It’s impossible.
“Saying goodbye before my son’s semester in Spain“
HC: You started as the director of the Writing Center this year. How did your interest in writing and editing begin?
AG: I guess that I’m blessed – I can’t remember a time when reading and writing were not a part of my life. My dad was a history professor who also taught English, and my mom was one of only two women in the Albany College of Pharmacy Class of 1954 to graduate with a degree in Pharmacology. I am the youngest of five children, and my parents taught all of us to value learning. We were surrounded by books, and my oldest sister and I, in particular, aspired to write like the authors we encountered. As for editing, I guess that was sort of inherent. When I was little I wanted to be a teacher, a marine biologist, or a doctor, ha, ha. But really, if I hadn’t loved teaching so much, I probably would have pursued a career in editing.
HC: How did you feel when taking on the responsibilities of the Writing Center? How were the first few months there challenging?
AG: Believe it or not, being the director of the Writing Center is my dream job! I work with a fabulous staff, one of my responsibilities is mentoring students in an academic support capacity, I’m a writing center theory geek, and I teach on the side. Sometimes I feel that I’m spinning in a million different directions, but I relish the challenge. Was it and is it sometimes difficult? Yes, but that’s primarily internal. Like many working mothers I prioritized certain aspects of my life over others. I had my oldest son when I was only nineteen, and I knew that if I had more children, I would want to be primarily a stay-at-home mom. When I started teaching at Siena I had one child – now I have three – so for a while I was comfortable working part-time, maybe even a little complacent. When I was offered this job, I had to convince myself that I was ready to go back full time. I am lucky to be surrounded by wonderful female role models, though, and Dr. Liptak, in particular, has inspired me.
HC: You actually attended Siena as a student. What is the most valuable thing you learned about yourself while in college?
AG: Oh my goodness – I could go on and on. I became a mom when I was a student at Siena. I went from child to adult in a matter of months, but no matter how much I struggled as a young parent and full-time student, there were people at Siena who believed in me and challenged me. My honors seminar professors, Dr. Fitzgerald-Hoyt, Dr. Ognibene, Dr. Hannay, and Dr. Stein (in English) and Dr. Brenner (in history) pushed me – even shoved me – along. I actually remember bringing my son to class with me! They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.
“Favorite things: my kids, my books, and Christmas”
HC: What is teaching at your alma mater like?
AG: It’s like coming home. I’ve taught at a number of colleges, and I have enjoyed those experiences immensely, but teaching at Siena affords me the opportunity to give back to the community that gave so much to me.
HC: Have you noticed your work at the Writing Center influencing your teaching style at all?
AG: I’ve always utilized a student-centered, collaborative teaching style, and I strongly believe in the process writing and peer tutoring models that govern day-to-day activities in the Writing Center. However, my position gives me freedom to teach courses that I just didn’t have access to as an adjunct. For example, in the last few months I’ve been working with the Office of Academic Community Engagement to get my Peer Tutoring students into a volunteer program at Albany Leadership High, an all-girls charter school in the city. I know so many gifted Siena instructors who don’t have the opportunity to create these types of courses. It’s a shame, but in some ways moving from a part-time to a full-time position is like coming out of the darkness into the light.
HC: Why do you think peer tutoring is so important and beneficial for all those involved?
AG: I’m so proud of the peer tutors in the Writing Center and of the students who utilize our services. We are dedicated to supporting classroom instruction, but we also value the idea that our space serves as an alternative to traditional classroom activities. Visiting writers know that our tutors are students, too – our staff has navigated Siena’s writing program and often offers insights that I, as an instructor, cannot. The tutor who collaborates with the student in a successful session (or who learns from a challenging one) gains valuable life experience, while the student leaves with an understanding of who he/she is as a writer. We still adhere to Stephen North’s decades-old mantra: “The goal of the writing center is to make better writers, not just better writing.”
HC: What aspects of Siena make it feel like home?
AG: My father graduated from Siena in the early 1950s. I spent the formative years of my life here, as both a student and a teacher. My son, Aidan, is a member of the Class of 2017. This campus has been my family’s home-away-from-home for over 60 years, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.