Associate Professor of English, Allison E. Paynter, served as chair of the English department from 2006-2009, and was instrumental in re-formulating the curriculum. Gender, ethnicity, poetry and dance are recurring themes in her various guest lectures and published articles. As an engaged professor, Dr. Francis teaches the craft of writing to undergraduates every year in her classes. She fosters a sense of why good writing is important, through classes that are designed to be both fun and challenging. Dr. Paynter notes, "My students say I’m strict, but never boring," because she expects them to develop respect for the writing process, and to always do their best. Since Dr. Paynter believes the spoken word is as important as the written word, she is a performance poet who performs at many venues in the state. She also is the facilitator for Aulama, the Chaminade student literary journal. Her chapter on black female writers in the 19th century marketplace will appear in the upcoming literary anthology, Imag(in)ing America: The Black Body in Literature.
Memberships:- Haitian Studies Association (HSA)
- Modern Language Association (MLA)
- National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA)
- Pacific Ancient & Modern Language Association (PAMLA)