Dana Renee Shugar remembered

Dana Renee Shugar remembered

Dana Renee Shugar, 38, an associate professor of English and Women's Studies, died on Jan. 29 at home after a long struggle with cancer.

Shugar received her B.A. degree in biology and English in 1983 from Augustana College in Illinois. She received her M.A. degree in 1988 and her Ph.D. in English in 1991 from the University of Iowa.

Before joining the URI faculty 1991, Shugar was an adjunct instructor at the Lakeland College in Sheboygan, Wisc.

Her scholarship focused on feminist and lesbian separatism in the United States, 19th Century British literature, understandings of gender, class and ethnic identities, and leftist women's literature and cultural studies. Her first book, Separatism and Women's Community, was nominated for the American Library Association's Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Book Award in 1995. The book represents the first full-length critical analysis of feminist and lesbian separatism in the United States. She had begun work on another book entitled The Other Epidemic: Lesbians Confront the Challenge of Breast Cancer. Her other publications include three articles forthcoming in the Encyclopedia of Lesbianism as well as articles, essays, and reviews in The Journal of Lesbian Studies, College Literature, Lesbian Sex Scandals: Sexual Practices, Identities and Politics; among others.

"Dana Shugar was a beloved teacher, scholar, and friend in the College of Arts and Sciences and the University. We'll deeply miss her wisdom, advocacy, positive spirit, passion for teaching and learning, and wonderful sense of humor," said Winifred Brownell, dean of Arts and Sciences.

At the University, Shugar excelled in teaching and was a multiple nominee for the Teaching Excellence Award. She taught undergraduate and graduate courses, was a highly regarded mentor to graduate students, and served as the director of the graduate program in English for four years.

Shugar was a Teaching and Technology Fellow and was awarded a Faculty Development Incentive Grant from the Women's Studies, Science and Engineering Curriculum Project funded by the Association of American Colleges and Universities to explore issues in gender, science, mathematics, and engineering. She collaborated with colleagues to coordinate the acclaimed 1992-93 URI Honors Colloquium Series, "Walls and Bridges: Race, Gender, and Class."

In 1996-98, she served as chair of the Lesbian Caucus of the National Women's Studies Association, and was elected as a member of the Association's Governing Council. She also was an active member of the Modern Language Association, a literacy tutor, a wetland surveyor for Save the Bay, and a Habitat for Humanity volunteer.

"Dana was dedicated to her students and teaching. They were most important to her, even to the end. She fought valiantly and coped with dignity--and she intellectually engaged her illness by using her experience as the basis for scholarship, a true feminist philosophy and way of living," said Donna Hughes, director of Women's Studies.

"Dana Shugar was one of the most valued and highly respected members of the English Department faculty. The contributions she made are immeasurable and will be long remembered," said Dorothy Donnelly, chair of the English Dept.

She leaves her partner Rosie Pegueros; her parents Dr. Samuel R. Shugar and Shirley P. Shugar and other immediate and extended family members. Contributions to a scholarship fund in her name can be sent to the Dana Shugar Memorial Scholarship Fund, URI Foundation, University of Rhode Island, Davis Hall, Kingston, RI 02881.