Brent L. Kendrick

English and Humanities Instructor

How long have you been an instructor at LFCC?

I started teaching at Lord Fairfax as an adjunct instructor in the fall of 1998. The College hired me an associate professor of English in August 2001 and promoted me to full professor in August 2005.

What do you enjoy the most about being an LFCC instructor?

For me, it’s all about knowledge and passion and love. I have spent a lifetime getting to know English, and I love it.  I wake up every morning and go to bed every night thinking about my discipline. I am passionate about English and I share that love with my students.  I wake up every day and go to bed every night thinking about my students.  How can I help them learn? How can I help them succeed?  I love my students, too, and I let them know that I do.  I want to be there for them to spur them on and turn them on and make them believe that they can do it.

What classes do you teach at the College?

I teach more than 20 classes, including Advanced Creative Writing I and II, Appalachian Literature, Leadership Development, Technical Editing and Writing User Manuals.

Why do you think it is important to raise scholarship funds for students?

As the son of a West Virginia coal miner and the first in my family to go to college, I know first-hand the importance of raising scholarship funds for students.  Simply put, if it had not been for the ongoing scholarships that I received all along the way, I would not be where I am today.  Scholarships made it possible for me to obtain an education and become a professor of English.

What are the biggest changes you have seen at LFCC during your tenure?

From the first day that I visited Lord Fairfax, I felt at home — the atmosphere was warm and friendly and inviting.  I sensed the commitment that everyone had to students and to learning.  It’s still that way, I believe, but I think the college took what was good and changed it to be even better:  we are today more student centered, more student focused.  It’s part of our being — LFCC:  Your Future.  Our Focus.

What degrees do you hold?

A bachelor’s degree in humanities from Alderson-Broaddus College and a doctorate in English from the University of South Carolina.