ALPINE – Among the lesser-known features of West Texas are lighthouses – many of them perched on Dr. Nancy Antrim’s shelves.
Dr. Nancy Antrim
Antrim, Sul Ross State University professor of English and Linguistics, plans to add to her collection through upcoming travels upon her retirement. She will retire on August 31, 2013 after 11 years on the faculty.
“According to my son, I have thousands of lighthouses, but he counts the ones on the shower curtain and quilts,” she laughed. She admits to owning about 100 replicas of lighthouses from Boston, Massachusetts to Ireland to the Caribbean.
Growing up in a military family, Antrim lived in various parts of the world, usually in large cities, before coming to Alpine in 2002. Her travels, both for pleasure and professionally, have taken her to numerous points on the globe. She has made linguistic presentations in England, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Canada and Mexico.
“This is the first time I have ever lived in a small town,” she said. “I have really liked the experience. You don’t go anywhere without running into someone you know – including Stripes in Monahans.”
Antrim joined the Sul Ross faculty from the University of Texas El Paso, where she was an assistant professor in the Department of Languages and Linguistics since 1995. She received a B.A. (1968) in history and M.A. (1993) in general linguistics from UTEP and her Ph.D. (1996) in linguistics from the University of Southern California.
She taught freshman writing at USC and also taught English, history and English as a Second Language (ESL) at several El Paso schools.
While at Sul Ross, Antrim has taught a wide variety of courses and has developed 21 online courses in linguistics, English and bi-lingual education. She has developed a number of linguistic courses for sociology, anthropology and women’s studies.
“What I have enjoyed about being here is being able to take my expertise into other areas of study,” she said. “I also love the small class sizes where I have really gotten to know my students. I have enjoyed them a great deal.”
Another highlight of her Sul Ross tenure has been the privilege of handing diplomas to her son, Kenneth, daughter, Megan, and daughter-in-law Ashley, during commencement exercises.
“I really loved giving diplomas to my children,” she said. “I don’t know of any other university that allows that.”
In addition to traveling, Antrim plans to stay active in the Alpine community. She serves on the Ministerial Alliance for St. James Episcopal Church and serves as a hospital chaplain, is vice president-elect and chaplain of the Alpine Pilot Club, serves on the board of directors of the Alpine Food Pantry and on the board for Casa Hogar, an orphanage in Ojinaga.
She has also volunteered as an ESL tutor for the Alpine Public Library and enjoys reading, particularly mysteries. Her two cats, Pia and Topaz, keep her company.
Living in Alpine keeps her centrally located to visit her children. Daughter Megan is an Alpine resident and travel companion. Son Kenneth, wife Ashley and grandson Walker live in Grandfalls; daughter Stephanie Ballard and grandson Scott are El Paso residents; and daughter Heather Andrus and granddaughter Autumn live in New Braunfels.