A letter from Denise McGill
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Darnell,
Please accept my deepest condolences for the loss of your daughter. Words can't express the sorrow I feel. On behalf of the entire Gardner-Webb community, please know that we all have been praying for you and thinking of you since Pamela's hospitalization began.
Here is how Pamela impacted my life. Last year was my first year teaching at Gardner-Webb, and my first year teaching ever. Pamela was one of the first people I met, even before classes started. She was enrolled in my design class first semester. She is the only student who ever thanked me for giving her a zero (the whole class got zeros for having too many typos on their résumés. Of course Pamela re-did hers for a higher grade.) She decided most professors are called "doctor" but I'm only called "miss", so I needed a fancier title. She dubbed me Lady McGill.
She visited me often at office hours to discuss school, careers, and the God of the universe. She sent other students to see me. Whenever a new face, usually a young woman, showed up on my doorstep or stopped me on campus and called me lady McGill, I knew they were sent by Pam on a special mission.
Soon Pam and I were eating lunch together often. Her confidence in me helped me realized I had much more to offer students than classroom computer instruction. I spoke at her Valentine's Day event. Women responded positively. Pam pestered me to have her to my house for dinner. That was the beginning of my ladies' nights, when I would have small groups of women in my classes over for intimate dinners.
Pam profoundly affected my teaching style. Her trust in me and desire for a relationship with me came when I was questioning how much influence I could have as a teacher, figuring out boundaries and how much to share about my own life and faith. She showed me that more is better. Because of her I teach truer, I push harder, I care more. My proudest moment as a teacher is when Pam invited me to a reception where she was receiving an award, and she wanted to bring the professor who had the biggest impact on her education. I am forever humbled.
Pam's sprit will indeed live on wherever I teach. Please take some small comfort in the fact that she has already influenced the college experience of countless women and men for years to come.
May our Lord bless you and keep you.
Best,
Denise McGill
Please accept my deepest condolences for the loss of your daughter. Words can't express the sorrow I feel. On behalf of the entire Gardner-Webb community, please know that we all have been praying for you and thinking of you since Pamela's hospitalization began.
Here is how Pamela impacted my life. Last year was my first year teaching at Gardner-Webb, and my first year teaching ever. Pamela was one of the first people I met, even before classes started. She was enrolled in my design class first semester. She is the only student who ever thanked me for giving her a zero (the whole class got zeros for having too many typos on their résumés. Of course Pamela re-did hers for a higher grade.) She decided most professors are called "doctor" but I'm only called "miss", so I needed a fancier title. She dubbed me Lady McGill.
She visited me often at office hours to discuss school, careers, and the God of the universe. She sent other students to see me. Whenever a new face, usually a young woman, showed up on my doorstep or stopped me on campus and called me lady McGill, I knew they were sent by Pam on a special mission.
Soon Pam and I were eating lunch together often. Her confidence in me helped me realized I had much more to offer students than classroom computer instruction. I spoke at her Valentine's Day event. Women responded positively. Pam pestered me to have her to my house for dinner. That was the beginning of my ladies' nights, when I would have small groups of women in my classes over for intimate dinners.
Pam profoundly affected my teaching style. Her trust in me and desire for a relationship with me came when I was questioning how much influence I could have as a teacher, figuring out boundaries and how much to share about my own life and faith. She showed me that more is better. Because of her I teach truer, I push harder, I care more. My proudest moment as a teacher is when Pam invited me to a reception where she was receiving an award, and she wanted to bring the professor who had the biggest impact on her education. I am forever humbled.
Pam's sprit will indeed live on wherever I teach. Please take some small comfort in the fact that she has already influenced the college experience of countless women and men for years to come.
May our Lord bless you and keep you.
Best,
Denise McGill
posted at 3:50 PM
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