Contributors >> Hamel, Elsie ('07)

Biographical Statement (August 2013)

As a non-traditional Lehigh graduate student, Elsie Hamel's path and goal toward obtaining a bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. in English were quite different from the average traditional student as well as her motivation for taking courses; i.e., the primary focus for the traditional student is to obtain a professional level job at a good salary. As the sole member of her family with only a high school education, she decided to see if she could succeed as a student, and she took her first college course at the age of 58. Her immediate family holds eight degrees from Lehigh: her husband Coleman has a Ph.D. in Chemistry; oldest daughter Lorraine (a dentist) a B.A. in English; second daughter Virginia (a lawyer) a B.A. in English; and her third daughter Marianne (a forensic pathologist) an M.S. and PhD. in Molecular Biology. Elsie received her B.A. in English (a minor in Social Relations) in 1999 at the same time her daughter Marianne received her M.S. in Molecular Biology. In 2001 they again graduated together (M.A. in English for Elsie and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology for Marianne). Elsie graduated with a Ph.D. in English in May 2007 at the age of 73.

Elsie retired from the Chemistry Department at Lehigh in 1995, where for the major part of her career she was the Editorial Associate for a number of scientific journals (the editors are Lehigh faculty members). She currently holds a part-time position with a scientific journal (Acta Materialia). A large part of her work entails checking papers to make sure the English composition is acceptable before these submissions are sent to reviewers. Her editors rely on her abilities and essentially regard her as a colleague rather than an employee. She finds that her Ph.D. gives her a considerable amount of cachet in the publishing world. She and her husband also have a part-time business editing scientific papers for authors.

Elsie has traveled extensively during the last five years (Budapest and Prague, on safari in Kenya and Tanzania for 50th wedding anniversary, Belize, China, Peru, Russia, Morocco, Costa Rica, Turkey). She is a gourmet cook who raises much of her food in a home garden and enjoys entertaining and spending time with her family. She is very close to her five grandchildren, and she recently published a book based on her dissertation (Utopian Communities: Survival of Old Order Hutterite, Amish and Mennonite Groups), which has sold over 650 copies.

Reflection

Having taken four courses with Prof. Gallagher, Reel American History ranks as one of the best. I chose Plymouth Adventure so I could research the history of the Pilgrims. At the outset, I suspected the Hollywood version of the hardships suffered by these pioneers in crossing the Atlantic Ocean and settling in America would be skewed but not to the considerable extent exhibited in the film. The leading characters are two of my favorite stars, which also drew me to this movie. In retrospect, I postulate that this series provides valuable research material for both English and History teachers, particularly those involved with film courses.