Sylvia Shurbutt, professor of English, has recently been elected President of the Appalachian Studies Association (ASA).
Shurbutt, who has served as the sssociation’s vice president for the past two years, revealed her appointment as president to be both a personal honor as well as beneficial to the university.
“I was pleased personally because both my father and mother were Appalachians,” said Shurbutt. “I was also honored and pleased for the university. The ASA comes at a time when Shepherd is moving into national prominence as a center for Appalachian Studies.”
According to Shurbutt, the Appalachian Studies Association “is an interdisciplinary association that studies all aspects of the Appalachian region, maintains two important publications, and hosts an international conference each spring.”
As the new president of the Appalachian Studies Association, Shurbutt will lead the ASA Steering Committee for a year, followed by hosting the 2016 Appalachian Studies Association Conference in Shepherdstown, W.Va.
Shurbutt stated that the conference “will bring a thousand conference attendees from across the world to Shepherdstown” and “will be an economic boon for Shepherdstown and the Eastern Panhandle.”
“Though the conference is two years away, we are already putting together a team for local arrangements, both for the campus and the university,” said Shurbutt.
Students of Shurbutt have nothing but praise for both the professor and her classes.
Iuliana Washington, a senior secondary English education major, said that Shurbutt has an “inherent ability to make the material she teachers relevant to a student’s life.”
“She is not only an expert in her field, but is always actively involved in the community,” said Washington. “In her class, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll go places you’ve never been before.”
Alethea Snurr, a senior English education major, said Shurbutt “is worthy of the award because she is very passionate about Appalachia, making her excited about and dedicated to the content she teachers.”
The Appalachian Studies Association Conference will take place on March 18–20, 2016 in Shepherdstown, W.Va..
Leave a Reply