Presbyterian College English professor inspires students to seize opportunities and discover passions
Teaching English wasn’t always in the cards for Presbyterian College professor Dr. Lynne Simpson.
Initially drawn to the legal field, her experience as an intern under a defense attorney opened her eyes to her true passion for English.
Simpson’s time as an intern was seemingly spent handing out Tylenol and Pepto Bismol to the junior defense attorneys, who were constantly dealing with headaches and stomach troubles.
“I thought to myself, ‘they don’t seem happy.’ You could see it in their faces,” she said. “It showed me that was not the life that I wanted, and that instead, I was called to teach English.”
Now, as a professor, Simpson remains supportive of internships, encouraging her students to pursue those hands-on opportunities however they can.
“An internship may not illuminate the ideal career path, but it certainly can shed light on what you do not want to do for a living,” she said.
Community that feels like family
From the very beginning of her time at Presbyterian College, Simpson’s colleagues in the English Department have felt like family, a factor that has been a highlight of her time spent at the college.
“I love my colleagues, who, from Dr. Terry Barr’s early kindness and generosity, have been family,” she said. “My son grew up calling them Uncle Terry, Uncle Justin, Uncle Rocky, and so I feel really, really blessed.”
Another highlight of Simpson’s career as a professor? The opportunity to not only engage with students, but to witness how they interact with each other here at PC and while traveling abroad on Maymesters.
“We have wonderful, wonderful students,” she said. “I’m so impressed by the kindness that they show each other. Our students are genuinely supportive and lovely.”
Even today, Simpson still feels the warmth of the close-knit community of PC.
“I’ve loved that about PC ever since I arrived here in 1996. Family, people who truly care, and the best students – I felt very much at home here from the beginning,” she said.
I’ve loved that about PC ever since I arrived here in 1996. Family, people who truly care, and the best students – I felt very much at home here from the beginning.”
Dr. Lynne Simpson, Professor of English
Looking into the future
When thinking about what her future at PC holds, Simpson is most excited to start teaching her Survey of Apocalyptic Literature course as the new semester begins.
“This will be the first time I’ve been able to offer this material in an upper-level class,” she said. “It’s especially satisfying that I have a book chapter on Colson Whitehead’s Zone One and Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, novels my students will be reading, coming out this year for a Modern Language Association teaching volume.”
Simpson hopes that her literary analysis, along with her in-class exercises and assignments, will inspire and help other professors to teach these novels in the future.
