By Staff
SHOFFIETT RETIRES – Sue Shoffiett, right, a retiring English teacher at Meridian Community College, shares a laugh at a retirement reception Tuesday with Barbara Jones, chairman of MCC's English Department. Photo by Carisa McCain / The Meridian Star
By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
May 15, 2002
The youngest of Meridian Community College's five retirees this year is also the one who has been there the longest.
Sue Shoffiett, 52, of Meridian, has taught English at MCC for 30 years. The Lafayette, La., native fell in love with literature in part due to her hometown English teacher.
Shoffiett and four other teachers were honored Tuesday at a reception on the MCC campus. Their retirement is effective at the end of the 2001-2002 school year.
MCC changes
Shoffiett has seen many changes at MCC in the last 30 years, a time in which she has taught English composition, English Literature I and II and World Literature I and II.
MCC had two buildings when she first started. She knew every faculty member by name and had about 80 total students her first year  much less than the 150 this semester.
Shoffiett said her approach to teaching English on the college level has also changed over the past 30 years which she said is reflected in the textbooks.
Teaching challenges
Shoffiett said she always has a group of intelligent, well prepared, high achievers in class. But, she said, today's average student is less prepared than 10 years ago.
But, she said, she would match her "A" students against any other top students in the world.
She admits that teaching wasn't always a joy, but she never fell out of love with it or literature.