Emerita: A Fond Farewell to Susan Bernstein

Robyn Shanahan, beloved graduate coordinator, embraces Susan at her final appearance as the Director of Graduate Studies at the 2016 graduate welcome reception. Professor David Zimmerman looks on.

Professor Susan Bernstein retired from the UW-English faculty in Spring 2017 after devoting 28 years of service to the department as a teacher, advisor, and administrator. She departed from Madison and headed to Boston University to continue teaching part-time in her specialties, Victorian literature and gender studies.

Susan joined the UW-Madison English department in 1989 after earning her PhD from Brandeis University. Professor Susan Friedman was a member of Susan’s hiring committee. In addition to instructing scores of undergraduate students, leading graduate seminars, and advising dissertations, Professor Bernstein served as the Director of Graduate Studies from 2011-2016. In this role, she co-coordinated improvements to help graduate students move through the program.

Settling into Boston, Susan is happy to have spent Thanksgiving with her brother for the first time in over thirty years.

Please send us your memories of Professor Bernstein. You can also send a message to her directly at sdbern@bu.edu.