In fall 1972, Catherine Penner came to Ithaca College to teach writing in the English department while she finished her dissertation on Andrew Marvell. In spring 1973, the instructors teaching first-year composition formed the writing program. “Thus began three decades of continual growth, beginning with the writing minor in the ‘70s [and continuing] until we won departmental status and approval of the writing major in 2000.” For 35 years, she taught courses ranging from Technical Writing for Physical Therapists to Humorous Writing. “My teaching has focused most on the many forms -- literary, personal, persuasive -- of that most plastic genre, the essay.” Professor Penner also chaired the writing program for a total of 12 years, contributing to its development of a rich curriculum and faculty from a fertile range of backgrounds. Her experience as chair has prepared her for the challenges of her new job as director of Cornell’s Adult University. “However, I will most remember the professional and personal ties I’ve forged with my colleagues here and with particular students, whose poignant and perceptive writing is forever etched in memory.”
