Sharon Naughton
Shortly after retiring from MCC in 1998, the Sharon Naughton Poetry Award was established
in recognition of Sharon Naughton’s great work as Coordinator of the Developmental
English Program at MCC. She graduated from Mercy College of Detroit, summa cum laude
in 1959 with a Bachelor’s degree in art and earned a Master’s Degree in English Language
and Literature from the University of Michigan. She returned to Mercy College where
she taught English until 1965 when she was offered a teaching position at then Flint
Junior College. She taught various English courses at Mott until retirement. She
was especially drawn to the developmental writing courses, ultimately becoming Coordinator
of the Developmental English Program, leading a team of dedicated teachers who developed
courses and innovative teaching methods to help prepare students for college level
writing courses. In addition, she mentored graduate student interns from Central Michigan
University’s Community College Teaching Program. She was also Co-Chair of the Committee
on Excellence in Teaching and Learning and was Editor of FOCUS, a newsletter featuring
faculty articles on teaching and learning. She was awarded the Ballenger Chair of
Learning in Developmental Education, and received two excellence in teaching awards
from the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development from the University
of Texas at Austin. After retirement, she was ordained a Deacon in the Episcopal
Church and served at St. Paul’s-Flint and St. Christopher’s-Grand Blanc. Service
and support to Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers ranks at the top of her various
ministries. She was named an Advocate for the National Alzheimer’s Association and
attended several national forums in Washington, DC where she successfully lobbied
members of Congress to support funding for Alzheimer’s research and programs.
