Illinois Valley Community College welcomes Keturah Haferkamp to its English department as its newest English instructor.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Los Angeles County in California. We had a HUGE avocado tree in my backyard when I was a kid. On a clear day my siblings and I could see the Hollywood sign from the top branches.
Where did you attend college and what degree(s) do you hold?
All of my degrees are in English, Language and Literature or Literary Studies: The Master’s College in Santa Clarita, California, Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan and Drew University in Madison, New Jersey.
What classes are you currently assigned?
ENG1001 and ENG1002
Are you new to teaching? If not, where did you teach before IVCC?
I’ve been teaching for 19 years! I started teaching at the college level in 2006. Before IVCC I spent 12 years as a full-time professor in the English department at Triton College. Before that my family and I lived in South Korea for several years where I taught at a university in Seoul and then later in Busan. I sometimes get the chance to teach in other countries which is always an enriching learning experience.
What are your initial impressions, not only of the students, but also the atmosphere at IVCC, and your fellow faculty and staff?
I cannot get over how unbelievably kind and patient the IVCC campus community seems to be. I’ve never been on a campus in the states where everyone is so sincere and so hospitable. It’s truly beautiful.
So far, what is your favorite aspect of IVCC?
I really appreciate the use of keycards instead of keys. Also, the merch is on point. I love going to the bookstore and seeing the new merch!
What is your favorite thing about the Illinois Valley area?
Wild Ginger is a delicious bistro in Princeton. If you haven’t ever visited there, I encourage you to try it out.
During the Great Migration in the late 1940s and 50’s my dad’s family transited from Arkansas to Peoria, IL, and then onward to Los Angeles, CA. As a result of this migration, my dad was actually born in Peoria and spent the first several years of his life in the Illinois Valley area before the family moved further West. I have actually never been to Peoria, but I do hope that
being in Illinois Valley will give me a chance to visit.
The rivers and landscapes and big blue skies of Illinois Valley make feel like I am on the inside of a poem by Gerard Manly Hopkins. So much of Carl Sandburg and Jack Finney’s writing seems to be coming to life for me out in the open spaces of Illinois. Much of the scenery here is certainly a feast for the eyes.
My dad is among the best vegetable gardeners I know. He taught me how to grow all kinds of healthy fruits and veggies when I was a child. When my husband and I were living in South Korea a few years ago, we served as administrators of a very large community garden on a university campus in a seaside town called Pohang. That is where I learned to grow and tend flowers for the first time.
Sadly, these days I do not have much time for gardening (though I just planted some new irises in my front yard in early August!) so instead I ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO VISIT the Hornbaker Gardens. If you have never been there, I encourage you to visit. It is such an enchanting place in the Illinois Valley.
Lastly, one of my favorite things about Illinois Valley is Hungry World Farm, located in Tiskilwa. My family visits the farm for blueberry picking in blueberry season (I LOVE BLUEBERRIES); we enjoy their brick oven pizzas, and we really appreciate the regenerative work they are doing.
What should a student know about you?
I absolutely love it when people read aloud. We used to read to our kids when they were small, and now that they are teens, we still have family reading every evening. I think there is something very special about listening to a voice carry a literary text from the past and into your present. For this reason, one of my favorite things in the whole world is to simply be read to. Maybe that’s why I like audio books so much.
Interestingly, did you know that Microsoft Word has a feature that allows you to listen to your own essays? In fact, I always tell students that that feature is a great way to check for typos before turning essays in for a grade. And now you know.
Have a great semester everyone!