Document Type

Oral History

Publication Date

3-26-2007

Biography

Barbara Carson began teaching at Rollins in 1973, where over the course of twenty-eight years, she distinguished herself as one of the faculty’s pre-eminent professors and valuable contributors to the community.

A native to Florida, Carson received her primary education in Cocoa, Florida. She studied at Brevard Junior College for a year and then at Florida State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1964. Four years later, Carson graduated from John Hopkins University with a Ph.D. in English. After teaching for two years and completing a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Carson accepted a teaching position at University of Massachusetts Amherst and then at Valencia Community College before joining the Rollins faculty in 1973.

While at Rollins, Carson taught courses in freshman composition, as well as in British and American Literature. She also served as chair of the English department, participated in the GLCA and ACS teaching workshops, and took an active role in the development of the Academic Honor Code. For her outstanding contributions to the college, she was selected twice for the Hugh F. McKean Award, named Author Davis Fellow by her peers, received the Hamilton Holt School’s Distinguished Teacher Award, and in 1994, named to the Theodore Bruce and Barbara Lawrence Alfond Chair of English.

Carson retired from the College in 2007, but as one student stated, “Like the giant oak tables in Orlando Hall, will be a permanent fixture at Rollins.”

carson_q1_education.mp3 (1441 kB)
Carson discusses descission to major in English

carson_q2_job.mp3 (2131 kB)
Carson Discusses her Teaching Experience

carson_q3_students.mp3 (973 kB)
Carson Discusses a Memorable Student Moment

carson_q4_administration.mp3 (1343 kB)
Carson reflects on her view from the faculty perspective of the college administration

carson_q5_retirement.mp3 (1739 kB)
Carson reflects on her Rollins career

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