Campus News
May 5th, 2023
GC recognizes Brewster as professor emeritus
Original 100-to-1 longshot becomes fourth professor to be honored
Lonnie Brewster literally started out as a 100-to-1 longshot.
"I was looking for a teaching position and a friend recommended I apply at Garrett College," said Brewster. "I heard 100 people applied – I never thought I'd get it."
Yet that's exactly what happened. And now Brewster, hired in 1991 as an English faculty member, will become the fourth GC professor to be awarded professor emeritus status as part of Garrett College's 2023 commencement exercises on May 20th.
"I'm pleased the faculty and our Board of Trustees chose to recognize Professor Brewster for his two decades of outstanding service to both our students and our faculty," said Dr. Richard Midcap, Garrett College's president. "Professor Brewster was a leader in faculty professional development learning communities as well as being actively engaged in a wide variety of student organizations. He's an outstanding choice for emeritus status."
Brewster said he took his role preparing students for higher-level English very seriously. He recalled a group of five friends who all originally thought he was too demanding as an instructor.
"They thought I was too hard on them," he recounted. "Then all five transferred to Frostburg. They came back and said, ‘We all did so well in English at Frostburg.' I said, ‘That's great.' And they said, ‘No, you don't understand – we all got A's.' I think then they all realized why I had been so demanding."
Brewster said American Literature "has always been my favorite course," but noted he also enjoyed teaching English 101.
"I enjoyed watching English 101 students improve their writing," said Brewster. "It got to the point where I'd point to a mistake and they knew what it was and how to fix it. That was rewarding to see."
While Brewster officially retired in 2011, he came back to GC for a year to oversee the theatre department after Theatre Professor Ben Sincell retired. Brewster currently keeps a hand in teaching as an adjunct instructor at Blue Ridge Community & Technical College.
Brewster, spouse Lee Wright, and adopted son Hunter Brewster-Wright currently live in Randolph County, West Virginia on a hobby farm raising cows, chicken, and geese – "but nothing in large numbers," he said.
Brewster will be joining Franklin David Slagle, Oscar Randall Harman, and Joan B. Crawford as GC emeritus professors. Former Dean Jim Allen is being recognized this year as a dean emeritus, joining President Emeritus Dr. Stephen J. Herman and Dean Emerita Lillian R. Mitchell as the three GC administrators to earn emeritus status.
