In July, Eastern Michigan University named Mary Ramsey as head of the English Department.
Originally from Oklahoma, Ramsey had done a fair share of traveling and schooling before settling on EMU.
She acquired her B.A. at Oklahoma Baptist University and then went on to obtain a Masters in Philosophy at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Afterward, she earned a Masters in Art from the University of Oklahoma, then a Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from Yale University.
Before coming to Ypsilanti, Ramsey was an assistant professor of English at Southeastern Louisiana — north of New Orleans.
Ramsey had no prior dealings with the university, but some of her new colleagues at Eastern — friends prior to her new position — had told her nothing but great things about the school. That was more than enough motivation to become a part of the team.
“I thought what a great place to be, and I’d like to be a part of it,” Ramsey said.
Ramsey said her first year here is mainly about learning to do her job, then moving on to the big tasks at hand.
“As the head of the English department, my first goal is to move into Pray-Harrold,” she said. “I’m more focused on short-term goals as a start.”
This year is mainly centered upon just that for her, deciding what can be done to improve the department and her position in it, as well.
“We really need to take a step back and assess where we are and where we want to go,” Ramsey said.
She recently sought help from the book, “How to Chair an Academic Department,” which was a gift from Dean Tom Venner, the former English Department head. “I would like to focus on strength and growth, and leaving the department stronger than I found it.”
Ramsey has been coming in every day at 7 a.m. to unlock doors for faculty and often staying until 9 p.m. to lock them again. Due to all the construction with Pray-Harrold, a lot of the faculty members have not received keys.
“She has maintained a smile through all this change, so we have high hopes for her,” said Carol Schlagheck, a professor in the English department.
Ramsey said she already feels more than welcomed aside from the friends she had here already.
Ramsey was not the least bit hesitant to say she works with “amazing people, the faculty couldn’t be better.”
“Everyone does so much; they’re wonderfully welcoming, and terribly helpful,” she said. “It’s been great.”
She has found help from students, too — especially when it comes to getting around campus.
“I’m just looking forward to having the map of the campus in my head,” Ramsey said.
In her free time, she practices martial arts and usually reads one or two books at a time. She especially enjoys the works of Russian Vladimir Nabokov, currently her favorite author.
When asked what she’d do with a free day, limitless to do anything, she said, “I would love to have access to the Lindisfarne Monastery Library during the Medieval ages.”
The library, located in Scotland, was once a major hub for Christian evangelization.
Before Ramsey, Rebecca Sipe headed the English department until she became director of the Honors College in the summer of 2010. Then Dr. Joseph Csicsila, a literature professor, served as interim department head for the following year until Ramsey was hired by Venner on July 1.
