EMPLOYEE PROFILE

Name: Elaine Oswald

Title: Assistant Professor, English Department

Major responsibilities: Teaching English

Length of service at the College: 3 years

Place of birth: England

Family members: Husband, Peter; Elizabeth, who is in London; and Will, who is in Baltimore

Greatest achievement or proudest moment: My greatest achievement might be our two fabulous kids. They’re talented, intelligent, beautiful, and humorous, and I’m grateful that they like to hang out with me. On the other hand, maybe my greatest achievement is still to come…. I’d like my gravestone to read: “She did all she could.”

Favorite things outside work: Weight-training, gardening and reading mystery novels.

Most rewarding part of your job: I like the challenge of researching and the excitement that comes when I can present knowledge in a new way. I love to be creative when assembling facts to make a point, and my finest moments are when students’ eyes light up and they finally understand a difficult concept. Teaching students to empower themselves through language is a great responsibility, but it’s a very rewarding one. I love it when former students e-mail me and tell me of the adventures they’re having. I hope I’ve inspired and encouraged them to take risks.

Greatest unfulfilled ambition: I wish I had the guts to go to Afghanistan and help educate the women there. There are such brave women out there who’ve managed to keep reading groups going and education for girls, despite persecution by the Taliban. They still need help. Women who risk death in order to read and get an education fill me with awe.

Favorite quote: William Wordsworth’s vow at the end of “The Prelude”: “What we have loved, Others will love, and we will teach them how.”