Loren Loving Marquez, Assistant Professor of English
Story by Kristen Manion

Though she may be new to the Salisbury University English Department, Dr. Loren Marquez is already keeping herself busy teaching courses such as English 101 (Composition I), English 465 (Research in Composition) and other courses. Her office still has its bare white walls, and books take up about half of her bookcase, as she is still just moving in. But she did have some free time to give us an introduction and the chance to get to know her a little better.

Academics
Dr. Marquez received her Bachelor’s from Christopher University in Newport, Virginia, with a focus in Writing and Rhetoric, and then attended graduate school at Virginia Commonwealth University for her Masters and Texas Christian University for her Ph.D., both in Writing and Rhetoric.

She says she “always wanted to become a teacher” and feels that “writing is not just for the classroom."  Marquez feels that her students should learn writing and rhetoric so they can use them for civic duties outside the classroom, and in their every day lives.

When asked why she chose teaching and writing, Marquez said she has always loved writing and has always wanted to teach. She aspires to be a good teacher, good mentor to her students, and also, to turn her dissertation into a book (see below.)

Salisbury University
When asked why she chose to come to Salisbury, Marquez said Salisbury University fit her initial interests; aside from being closer to her family—she herself grew up near Richmond—she also feels that Salisbury is a good place to raise a family, beginning with her 18-month-old son, Nate.

Aside from personal reasons, Marquez also likes the dynamic of the University, and the student population has a nice balance of academic and social pursuits; in other words, while students will attend classes, they will also get involved in sports and other activities.  “Socialization is important too,” she says.

She plans to be at the university for many years to come, and looks forward to being a teacher for a long time as well.

Teaching Style
Marquez sees herself as a “facilitator instead of a dispenser of great knowledge.” Meaning, that she wants students to ask questions, and continue to ask questions in order to get the answers that they are looking for.

She prefers a more liberal approach to teaching, as she believes that critical thinking is essential to teaching writing, and that through critical thinking, her students will have an easier time entertaining their civic duties after graduation.

Expectations for Students
From her experiences in teaching, Marquez has learned that every group of students has a different dynamic about them and that “you as a teacher have to feel that dynamic…and understand where that particular group is.”

She also mentions that she likes to challenge her students, simply because “students like to be challenged but sometimes get uncomfortable being challenged…every moment is a challenge to what they’ve learned.” Sometimes students come into the classroom having learned something a certain way, and when that way is challenged and they are taught to think outside the box, they can get uncomfortable by being outside of their comfort zone. 

Hobbies
When she has the time, Marquez enjoys reading novels, beach reads “just about anything that makes it to the New York Times Bestseller’s list.” Her favorite book is the recent hit and bestseller “The Kite Runner,” but also likes the works of Anne Lamont. Aside from these, she “will read just about anything.”

Current Projects
Currently, Marquez is revising material from her dissertation about the impact of delivery in the writing style. She states that “writing is connected to theories of performance and draws from the Rhetorical Canon of Delivery.”

This was a classroom-based research study involving years of personal experience and observation, and in it, she perceives that though a person’s style and arrangement is important in a speech, so too is the delivery of the speech. It also incorporates her love of theater by bringing performance into the classroom, and teaching students to be more aware of themselves.

In the Future
What else can be said about such an educator who wants us to look at things from a different perspective, and only wants to help us succeed where we thought we couldn't? What are her plans for the future aside from raising her family and publishing her dissertation? Well, teaching, of course: "I can see myself being here for a very long time." We're happy to hear it. She plans to be at the university for many years to come, and looks forward to being a teacher for a long time as well.