Lynda Sinkiewich, M.A.

Assistant Professor, the Hunter Division of Humanities

Everett Mansion 356
lsinkwch@svc.edu
802-447-6373

Education

  • M.A., English Literature, Vermont College at Norwich University, 1998
  • B.A., English/communications, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, 1990

Teaching experience

  • Division Chair, Southern Vermont College, 2005-present
  • Assistant Professor, Hunter Division of Humanities, Southern Vermont College, 2001-present
  • Adjunct instructor, Hunter Division of Humanities, Southern Vermont College, 2000-2001
  • Adjunct instructor, English, Westfield State College, 1999-2000

Courses

  • Literature & Society
  • Introduction to Literature
  • Introductory Creative Writing
  • Fiction
  • Acting Workshop
  • Drama
  • Advanced Creative Writing Workshops
  • Shakespeare
  • Topics in Literature: Women of Color in America
  • Effective Speaking

Research interests

My master's thesis, The Search for Self: A Literary Exploration of a Woman's Search for Self-Actualization, examines the concept of the search for self and voice as imperative for the development of individual humans and thus to us all as a collective society. I look to the work of Shakespeare in helping us to understand humanity at its core, and then to the works of traditionally voiceless groups, such as women and minorities, in showing the need for true understanding and compassion for all -- celebrating differences rather than merely tolerating them.

Why I teach

I teach because it gives me the opportunity to share my love of literature and writing; it also gives me an opportunity to share my passion for knowledge and learning. My goals are to teach students to think for themselves, to consider and respect all ideas before coming to conclusions of their own, to help students see their limitless potential and to show them that with education, anything is possible.

Favorite Book

I love books where the unlikely hero emerges, such as Their Eyes were Watching God and The Grapes of Wrath. I'm interested in characters who are broken or "off" in some way. One of my favorites is Richard III.

Favorite Movie

I love when the underdog wins, so movies like Rudy capture my heart.

Best part of being at SVC

Southern Vermont College believes in the individual; I believe in the individual. I believe in finding those individuals who may have felt invisible in the past and truly seeing them, and then helping them to see themselves so that they can command the acknowledgment from others that they deserve. I tell students that I won't lower the bar, but I will do everything in my power to teach them the skills needed for them to get over that bar.

HIGHLIGHTS

June 2009 - Selected to participate in the competitive Gilder Lehrman Institute’s annual seminar on Literature and American History entitled, “Slave Narratives” and to be held at Yale University. She was only one of 30 faculty members selected nationwide for this seminar.

May 2009 - Participated in the "Creative Leadership with Limited Resources" workshop in Cambridge, Mass. (sponsored by the Council of Independent Colleges).