100 Memoirs

About: Shirley Hershey Showalter

Farmer’s daughter turned college professor, then college president, now foundation officer.   Articles published in The Washington Post, The Chronicle of  Higher Education, Christian Century.  Writing a memoir about growing up Mennonite in  America, 1948-1966.  Seeking others who read, write, and teach nonfiction/memoir.  Goal:  read and review 100 memoirs!

Professional Short Bio:

Shirley H. Showalter is Vice President—Programs with the Fetzer Institute.

After two years of teaching high school English at Harrisonburg (Va.) High School, Shirley entered graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin, from which she received the Ph.D. in American Civilization in 1980. She joined the Goshen College faculty in 1976, becoming professor of English in 1989. She published numerous articles and personal essays, not only in her field of early twentieth century American literature but also in spirituality, higher education, and leadership. She also won the Sears Roebuck Teaching Excellence and Community Leadership Award.

In April of 1996 Showalter was named the 14th president of Goshen College and served there until 2004. During those years she was awarded the John S. and James L. Knight Presidential Leadership Award and other honors. The school’s endowment grew from $46 million to $90 million, several new buildings were erected, including a $24 million music center, now one of the finest of its size in the Midwest, and the college established core values and a strategic plan for the next decade.

On November 1, 2004, Showalter joined the Fetzer Institute in Kalamazoo, Michigan, as Vice President-Programs. She has helped the Institute organize its staff and program around three areas: individual and community transformation, science and spirituality, and communication and outreach.

Her interest in memoir writing was stimulated in part by the mission of the Fetzer Institute: “To foster awareness of the power of love and forgiveness in the emerging global community.”  Turning 60 during the summer of 2008 helped, too!  This blog was set up in WordPress by her son Anthony, who can be found online at http://www.ashowalter.com