Siena Heights University honors retiring professor Kerry Graves

Professor Kerry Graves. Photo courtesy of Sienna Heights University.

Siena Heights University honored faculty members  Manchester’s Kerry Graves along with Kathryn Burke of Brooklyn and Tim Husband of Onstead as Professors Emeritae during SHU’s annual Honors Convocation ceremony in April 2018. All three retired at the end of the 2017-18 academic year.

Graves began her work at Siena Heights in 2004 as an associate professor of Theatre/Speech Communications, and was promoted to professor in 2014. Her teaching evaluations were consistently positive, and her students have found her to be nurturing even as she encouraged self-improvement. Her classes were described as dynamic and demanding, and she has been attentive to challenge her students to participate in a variety of kinds of plays. Graves also mentored many students through their senior projects. For a number of years she also directed the Creative Stages Program, during that time writing nine plays for children.

Siena Heights University is a Catholic university founded and sponsored by the Adrian Dominican Sisters. Siena Heights is a coeducational North Central accredited institution founded in the liberal arts tradition, offering associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and specialist’s degrees. The university is headquartered in Adrian, Mich., with degree completion centers in Battle Creek, Benton Harbor, Dearborn, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Monroe, Southfield and Online.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.