After serving as the Longwood University English and Modern Languages Department Chair for six years, Dr. Rhonda Brock-Servais will end her time as chair on June 30. Dr. Wade Edwards, associate professor of French, will take over as chair on July 1.
Brock-Servais is originally from Wisconsin. Prior to coming to Longwood, she graduated from Converse College in South Carolina. When offered a position to teach Young Adult Literature at Longwood more than 13 years ago, she had also received two other job offers.
“This was the school that seemed most in line with my values,” Brock- Servais said. “I wanted to be in a place where I felt like I could contribute.”
Brock-Servaismademany impressions on students and non- students alike over the years. Senior Shannon Rosedale remembered when she toured the university in high school and met Brock-Servais. At that moment in time, Rosedale told her she wasn’t coming to Longwood, but Brock-Servais sat down and made a four-year plan for her.
“She printed it out and challenged me to take it to ‘my’ school and see how the two programs would compare,” Rosedale said. “Even after I said I had no interest in coming to Longwood, she still extended a Lancer welcome ... and we clearly see where I wound up.”
As for why Brock-Servais decided to step down as chair, she said, “It is someone else’s turn. I’m really proud of what I have done, but I really, really want to go back to teaching.”
Department chairs do not get to teach as many classes as professors do. During Brock-Servais’ term, the department has changed and grown plenty. There are many new faces Brock-Servais described as “new andexciting,smart,thoughtful professors.”
As Longwood has grown in size, Brock-Servais said she has worked hard to ensure the quality of education by getting the capacity size lessened for some courses “because everyone learns better.”
Brock-Servais said her favorite part of teaching is that “it is not all about me. I do not have that much important information to say for an hour and 15 minutes, so we all interact and learn from each other.”
Although many of the colleagues that Brock-Servais met have left over the years, Dr. Craig Challender proved to be a great mentor.
“He has made me feel very much at home and is really supportive and helpful. He has mentored me professionally and personally,” said Brock-Servais.
When it comes to Brock- Servais’ favorite Longwood tradition, she loves convocation. “I got such a kick out of the capping,” Brock-Servais said. “The first time I watched, I could not stop giggling.” She described the capping at her previous institution to be very solemn.
Brock-Servais and Edwards hope the department will grow. Brock- Servais is confident that Edwards will be a great fit for department chair.
About Edwards, Brock-Servais said,“Wade is smart, sharp, has a great sense of humor, and he is on his toes.” There has been much mentoring going on between Brock-Servais and Edwards.
When describing his experiences with Brock-Servais, Edwards said, “She has a wicked sense of humor. She has been very generous with what she knows and passing on the information to the new guy.”
Regardinghumor,Brock- Servais described the most recent entertainment that came with part of her job. “A professor called me at the 8 a.m. class and said that there was underwear on the classroom floor. I brought a paper towel in and went and scooped it up like a bug. On the way out, the professor and class applauded.”
Other than the underwear occurrence, Brock-Servais said that anything gets put in your lap as chair, like medical emergencies and so on.
“I’m very even tempered,” added Brock-Servais. “I don’t freak easily.”
After six years of serving as department chair,Brock-Servais is excited to have the opportunity to teach more. She is also the advisor of the newly formed crafting club.
Edwards teaches French, Film and Women’s studies classes. He has been a part of Longwood faculty since fall 2002. Before Edwards came to Longwood, he taught at Sweet Briar College and the University of Virginia. Edwards and his wife met at graduate school, and Mrs. Heather Edwards is also a part of the Longwood faculty.
There is an election process for the department chair, and the faculty vote on it, and it later gets approved by the dean. Department chairs serve a three-year term.
Edwards said that his favorite thing about teaching is the “buzz” from teaching a good class where people are laughing and talking and understanding everything. “I teach for those kinds of days,” Edwards said.
He said language classes are always fun and described how he incorporates aspects of humor in the classroom, such as throwing stuffed Angry Birds at people, pulling up YouTube videos and more.
As for his approach to his future position, Edwards said, “I have an open mind going into it. I’m going to try to keep people as happy as possible. You can’t make big changes, but you can make small ones. You can help people be better teachers and better students.”
