Greensboro native Jenn Brown started teaching at Guilford in August. She has not had time to decorate the walls or put books on the shelves of her office, but she has already started to make an impact on the community.
Guilford has been a part of Brown’s whole life. Her parents are Guilford alumni. Her mother was pregnant with Brown during her senior year, and Brown’s childhood home was where Harris Teeter now stands.
Many who are unfamiliar with Brown may recall her from “The Fugue of Voices” on Sept. 18. Her reading included poems about returning to Greensboro after a hiatus and a dedication to her grandmother.
Brown manages to find an artful balance between writing and teaching. A prolific poet, Brown accredits her passion for writing to freshman composition teacher and poet, Robert Jackson.
“He asked you to think about things,” Brown said. “He was the teacher who taught me what the humanities were all about. Writing and reading, that’s what makes us human. Language is at the center.”
Brown does not pinpoint a specific writer as an influence but credits reading itself. “I can’t remember not being able to read,” she said.
Brown thinks Guilford College is exciting because “students want a liberal arts education instead of just a degree.” She said: “Guilford students are seeking something. I think that is exciting because it is very rare. I like being in a place that fosters and nurtures that kind of searching.”
Brown adds to that environment.
“Jenn leads very thought-provoking discussions because she asks provocative questions,” said Stephanie Nalbantyan, one of Brown’s English 102 students. “She has an amazing reading voice and reads things the way they were meant to be read.”
“There’s nothing better than a good conversation,” Brown said. “I think that is when learning is at its best.”
Despite having been at Guilford for such a short time, Brown’s influence can already be felt.
“Jenn Brown is a pleasure to have as a teacher,” said student Genevieve Munn. “You can tell immediately that she really cares about the art of writing, from the way she reads a piece of work, to the way she helps to dissect the piece, line by line, ever so lovingly. She is a masterful writer herself, which makes for interesting class discussions and wonderful paper topics.