Faculty: Dr. Katie Ford
Sometimes, parents do know what’s best.
“My dad told me to study Spanish because he said it would be more useful,” said Dr. Katie Ford, associate dean and director of the Brinkley-Lane Scholars program at East Carolina University. “He might have been right, but don’t tell him.”
Ford has enjoyed 18 years at ECU, first as a professor of Hispanic studies where she was recognized with the Linda E. McMahon Distinguished Professorship in Foreign Languages and now with the Honors College.
“Everybody’s so enthusiastic about ECU,” Ford said. “In the region, it’s so important, and everybody loves it so much. It’s a good place to be a part of. There’s a lot of energy from all that.”
With a high school Spanish teacher and her family as influencers, Ford obtained undergraduate, graduate and doctorate degrees in Spanish. ECU was her first teaching job.
Dr. Katie Ford, right, works with student Haleigh Long in the Mamie Jenkins Building.
“My mom was a teacher. My sister was a teacher, and she’s nine years older, so I thought it was just what the family did, and I thought I wanted to do it,” Ford said. “I really wanted to just keep on studying. I liked it. I was a good student, and I enjoyed studying, so I thought how can I do this in the real world for as long as possible, and it worked.”
Housed in the Honors College, the Brinkley-Lane Scholars is the most prestigious undergraduate award program offered at ECU. The four-year merit scholarship offers a fully funded education, covering the cost of tuition, fees, and room and board, as well as a $5,000 study abroad stipend.
In her role, Ford oversees the academic programs of the Honors College and helps the scholars develop their signature honors project, a requirement of the program. Her biggest joy is helping students find their paths.
“I get them to figure out what they want to do, and so it’s really fun,” she said. “I like to hear about students and what they want to do with their lives. It’s just inspiring to think that you can help a student and guide them onto the path that they want. It’s amazing what they’re capable of, and when they share something like that with you, yeah, it’s a fun job.”
She said that often students are so focused that she must tell them to tap the brakes every so often.
“I think a good lesson is to enjoy the moment and slow down,” she said. “What I tell the students is that they want to come and finish, but you’ve got four years. Enjoy that moment. Take advantage of all the different opportunities that you have here.”
One of those opportunities is to study abroad. Ford said she took three study trips to Spain as a student, the last of which was when she met her husband, Rufino. They have two children, Julia and Gabriel.
Having grown up in Connecticut, she became a big fan of the New York Mets and made a trip in October to watch the baseball team in the playoffs.
“My mom was a huge Mets fan. My dad won’t watch because he’s very superstitious and he thinks that he causes them to lose,” Ford said. “I’ve just always been a fan. My son and I try to go to a different stadium each year and see the Mets.”
Ford enjoys reading, traveling and spending as much time with family and friends as possible. And, she believes in ECU’s motto of service and hopes her students always carry that with them.
“Our mission to serve is really important. In the Honors College, we emphasize that,” Ford said. “All of our students get some level of scholarship, so you need to give back. That idea of service and giving back is important with whatever you do.”
Dr. Katie Ford, center, works with students Kathryn Adkins and Ruckira Nixon.
FAST FACTS
Name: Dr. Katie Ford
Title: Associate dean of the Honors College and director of the Brinkley-Lane Scholars program
Hometown: Danbury, Connecticut
Colleges attended and degrees: Bowdoin College, Bachelor of Arts in Spanish; Middlebury College, Master of Arts in Spanish; Emory University, doctorate in Spanish
PIRATE PRIDE
Years working at ECU: 18
What I do at ECU: I oversee the Brinkley-Lane Scholars program and oversee the academic programs in the Honors College.
What I love about ECU: The students
Research interests: 20th century Latin American theater and performance; narrative and poetry of contemporary Spanish America; feminist theory; Latino/Latina theater; scholarship of engagement; honors education in universities.
What advice do you give to students? Enjoy the moment and trust the process.
Favorite class to teach: HNRS 4000, Introduction to the Signature Honors Project. I love accompanying the students on their journey to find a faculty mentor and a great project.
QUICK QUIZ
What do you like to do when not working? I like reading, walking outside, traveling to new and old places, cooking, spending time with friends and family, and watching the New York Mets.
Last thing I watched on TV: “Only Murders in the Building”
First job: Camp counselor at the YMCA for 7-year-old boys
Guilty pleasure: I love nice boots and peppermint patties.
Favorite meal: Thai green curry with tofu
One thing most people don’t know about me: A group of my family members and I participate, for over a year, in Animal of the Day. Each person takes a week, comes up with a theme and then posts an animal that connects with the theme. My last theme was misnamed animals — like the flying fox: It’s a bat, not a fox.