In Memoriam: Stella Clifford Gray, 1919-2016

Stella GrayStella C. Gray, professor emerita of English at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, died on May 31 at an assisted living community in Newcastle, Maine. She was 96 years old.

Dr. Gray was a native of St. Albans, Maine and grew up in Boothbay Harbor, where her father served as superintendent of the public school system. After finishing second in her high school class, she began her higher education at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester in New York, but then transferred to her parents alma mater, Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.

After graduating from Bates in 1941, Professor Gray taught at the high school level and then at the University of Maine at Farmington. During this period she obtained a master’s degree in English at Middlebury College in Vermont. In 1949, Gray received a scholarship to pursue her Ph.D. in English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

After completing her doctorate, Professor Gray began teaching at the Kenosha campus of the University of Wisconsin. In 1968, the campus became the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Dr. Gray taught English composition, speech, and literature and was chair of the Humanities Division.

Upon her retirement the university established the Stella C. Gray Teaching Excellence Award in her honor.

Related Articles

Latest News

Data Shows High Attrition Rates for Women in STEM Degree Programs

For women who began their four-year college career in a STEM discipline, 14 percent dropped out of college and 32 percent switched to a non-STEM major before earning their degree.

Monique Guillory Named Ninth President of Dillard University

Dr. Guillory has served as Dillard University's interim president for the past seven months. Her background includes over three decades of higher education administration experience.

Lynne Coy-Organ Is the First Woman President of Husson University

Lynne Coy-Organ has been named the first woman president of Husson University in Maine. She has served as the university's provost and senior vice president for academic affairs for the past 15 years.

Donna Hedgepath Will Be the First Woman President of Wayland Baptist University

Current provost of Campbellsville University in Kentucky, Donna Hedgepath, has been named president of Wayland Baptist University in Texas, making her the first woman to be selected for the position.

Three Women Scholars Appointed to Provost Positions

The new provosts are Elizabeth Dumont at the University of California, Merced, Marguerite Giguette at Xavier University in New Orleans, and Margaret Brown Marsden at Midwestern State University in Texas.

MOSDOH – Dean of the Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health

The dean serves as the chief academic and administrative officer for MOSDOH, leading a mission-driven dental school known for innovation, community partnerships, and service to the underserved.

Vice President for Administrative Services and Chief Financial Officer

The successful candidate will have a strong financial and administrative background and demonstrated ability to excel in a fast-paced, dynamic and complex community college that values integrity, excellence, empowerment, inclusiveness, collaboration and stewardship.

Instructional Professor in Law, Letters, and Society (Open Rank)

The Social Sciences Collegiate Division at the University of Chicago is now accepting applications for a full-time Instructional Professor who will teach in the program in Law, Letters, and Society.

Instructor, Economics

The Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics at the University of Chicago invites applications for tenure-track faculty positions in Economics at the Instructor position level to begin in the 2025-26 academic year and is renewable for up to three years.

Vice Chancellor for Student Success

The Vice Chancellor for Student Success will be a strategic, student-centered, data-informed, systems thinker who thrives in a fast paced, high-achieving environment.