Recent News
August 23, 2019Faculty Spotlight Shines on Longest-Serving Faculty – Dr. Elvera Berry
A consummate, committed educator with a passion for communication and connections.
Dr. Elvera Berry, Professor of Communication, was celebrated for serving 55 years at Roberts Wesleyan College at the annual faculty/staff kick-off held on August 21st, making her Roberts longest-serving faculty member. What makes Berry’s tenure at Roberts unique is her life’s commitment to generations of students and her commitment to excellence in her field.
After completing her BA at Roberts in 1963 with a German major and a double minor in Music and Spanish, she joined the faculty in 1964. In the years since, she has taught communication studies, rhetorical theory, German literature and oral interpretation to countless students. She is affectionately known as “Dr. Mrs.” by alumni and current students.
Her commitment to educational excellence has left its mark, in one way or another, on most every program of the College—whether through teaching, program creation and design, or faculty development. Her imprint on the communication major has been indelible, but her commitment to quality education has also been formative in countless other areas, including Gen Ed, first-year-and senior-seminar experiences, the Honors program, and the MHR-forerunner to all of our current Organizational Management degree-completion and adult and graduate programs, to name a few.
Over her fifty-five years, “Dr. Mrs.” has taught 12,625 students, more than thirty different courses and is best known as a dedicated and exacting teacher. Her commitment to students includes life-long mentoring and the invitation to full participation in professional academic conferences.
Among her many accomplishments over the years at Roberts:
- Received the Kenneth Burke Society Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes extraordinary participation and service to the Society, at the 9th Triennial Conference, held at St. Louis University, July 17-20, 2014. (link to https://www.roberts.edu/news?id=2072)
- Highlighted in 55 Plus Magazine as “Pride of Roberts Wesleyan.” Read at https://www.roberts.edu/news/?id=3142)
- Delivered the keynote address at the College’s spring commencement in 2016.
- Contributed to the Earnest Christian book in honor of the College’s 150th anniversary. Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzbOtgokl8I&t=21s
- Was named the Alumna of the Year in 2016.
- Shared stories about Roberts such as this one told in honor of the College’s sesquicentennial. Watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGh5_YKkaFI
- Research, publications, convention presentations and honors https://www.roberts.edu/facultystaff/elvera-b-berry.aspx
She has given herself to this work year in and year out. And it has made make a difference. For several years now, she has had the relatively rare privilege of teaching the grandchildren of students she first taught in the 1960s. Her classes might be described as challenging, but every student who engages in them will make life-long connections between whatever they are studying and day-to-day experiences.
Dr. Berry received her Ph.D. in higher education and philosophy/rhetoric from SUNY Buffalo, M.A. in rhetoric from SUNY Brockport, M.A. in linguistics and German from University of Rochester. She is also a Roberts Circle member.
Congratulations to Dr. Elvera Berry for achieving Roberts Wesleyan College’s longest serving faculty member! On behalf of the students, faculty and staff of Roberts, thank you for pouring your life and passion into this place, and our lives, for the last 55 years and many blessings for the upcoming academic year.
For more news articles, you can take a look at our archive.