History professor, department chair retiring: leaving behind legacy

At the end of the semester, the History department will lose one of its most valued and beloved faculty members. Dr. Jenny Lloyd, the current chair of the department, will be retiring at 70 years old. Lloyd also served as the director of the Women's Studies program and interim dean of Brockport's graduate school.

Lloyd was originally born in England, where she spent her childhood and received her college education. Growing up on a farm, Lloyd spent the better half of her childhood at boarding school.

Lloyd earned her bachelor and master's degrees from Cambridge University in the 1960s. From there, she began her career as a historian, as well as teaching middle and high school in England, Mexico and Italy. Lloyd followed in her mother's footsteps of teaching.

"In my generation, women had a choice of a secretary, nurse or teacher," Lloyd said.

Lloyd eventually moved to the United States to pursue her interest and passion in history.

"Teaching is one of those things you can find in a lot of places," Lloyd said.

For 17 years, Lloyd has been a part of the community at The College at Brockport. Her specialty is history of women in Britain.

At Brockport, Lloyd earned a second master's degree in 1987, and received a Ph.D. in history from the University of Rochester in 1992. Her dissertation was "Thunder on the Horizon: Ruskin's View of History."

Upon completion of her Ph.D., Lloyd began teaching classes at Brockport, her first being a European Women's history class, among others. She won Mentor of the Year award from the Ronald McNair program in 1994, joined the Faculty Senate and served on the General Education Committee of the Faculty Senate from 1994-99.

Though Lloyd was only an adjunct faculty member in the beginning, she was chosen to be director of the Women's Studies program, as well as teaching three classes per semester.

One of Lloyd's biggest accomplishments was helping the Women and Gender Studies program get on its feet. Under her direction, the program grew, offering the choice of a major or a minor for Brockport students.

"The most important thing I've done is the intro to Women's Studies program," Lloyd said. "I look back on it with pride."

With a vested interest and passion in women's history, Lloyd helped give the program the recognition it deserved.

"She increased the invisibility and academic rigor of the program, highlighting the exciting intellectual expansiveness in this interdisciplinary major," Dr. Alison Parker, an associate professor in the History department, said. "Under her nurturing guidance, more students become Women's Studies minors and majors."

Lloyd has also been the recipient of numerous awards: George Queen award for teaching in 1997, Chancellor's Award for Excellence in 2004 and College Award for Excellence in Advising in 2008.

Additionally, Lloyd has been a mentor for numerous students, encouraging them to reach for academic and personal success. One such student is Dr. Carl Davila, an assistant professor in the History department.

"Jenny Lloyd very simply had a huge impact on my intellectual life, my career and my worldview as a scholar," Davila said. "I am so honored to have known her, so very thrilled that she is moving now into this new phase of her life."

Lloyd was appointed as Davilla's mentor, during Davila's senior year. She interacted with Davila and her other mentees outside the classroom. Davila remembered reading and arguing about famous philosophers and historians such as Said, Foucault and Gramsci with Lloyd.

"We read po-co and feminist theory, all in the comfy chairs in her new-windowed office, surrounded by books," Davila said. "It was so enriching, and she made it both challenging and rewarding."

When Lloyd is not busy enriching minds of students or talking with fellow professors, she enjoys gardening and writing, particularly her memoirs. Lloyd has a son and daughter living in London; she visits them twice a year.

"I'm very grateful to Brockport to making my career possible," Lloyd said. "When I was young, I couldn't of imagined being here."

Brockport's History department is going to be a little less empty next semester, but Lloyd leaves a strong and memorable legacy for faculty, staff and students to remember her by.