Dr. Mary H. Donnelly

In 1964, Mary Hutchinson Donnelly obtained her diploma with a major in English Literature from University of Washington, after which she accepted teaching posts at San Diego area high schools, advancing to the position of English Department Head at Crawford High School in 1971. By 1976, however, Donnelly had already started teaching part-time for Grossmont College, and she left her high school teaching position in 1980 to earn certification from Point Loma Nazarene College as an Education Specialist. Finally, in 1983, during the last year of her certification program, Grossmont College English Department Chair, Glenda Richter, offered Donnelly a position on staff.

During those first three years as a tenure-track instructor, however, Donnelly was also undertaking doctoral study through Northern Arizona University, and she achieved her tenure in 1987 at the same time she officially earned her Ed.D. with the submission of her dissertation, The Effect Of Composition Activities On Reading Comprehension Of the Academically Underprepared Community College Student (Writing, Integrated, Vocabulary, Attitudes). Working alongside Sue Jensen (another former Lincoln High colleague), Dr. Donnelly parlayed her doctoral research into an award-winning learning communities program, Project Success, which linked courses designed to assist at-risk students at a variety of skill levels. She was also already practicing her administrative talents as Department Chair, a position she held twice during her Grossmont tenure. Additionally, for a brief time in the 1980's, Donnelly held the post of Acting Dean of Communication and Fine Arts when English colleague Dr. Elaine McLevie vacated the position in 1987.

In her other capacity as an English instructor, though, Donnelly taught reading improvement courses and introductory literature and continued to champion Project Success. It came as a surprise to no one, then, when, in 1997, Dr. Mary H. Donnelly received the distinguished President's Award for her work with Sue Jensen on Project Success. After bringing her twenty-year career at Grossmont to an end in 2003, Donnelly was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Faculty Award in 2005, and the following year Grossmont College officially conferred upon her the status of Professor Emerita.

• Thanks to Linda M. Hasper, Document Delivery and Archives Coordinator, Ryan Library at Point Loma Nazarene University, for assisting with information about Mary Donnelly’s Ed.S. degree.

• Donnelly, Mary Hutchinson. The Effect of Composition Activities on Reading Comprehension of the Academically Underprepared Community College Student (Writing, Integrated, Vocabulary, Attitudes). Dissertation, Ed.D. Ann Arbor, MI: Northern Arizona University, 1986.

• Centaur Yearbook. San Diego, CA: Crawford High School, 1970-1980. 
• Cota, Kara. “Pornography — “A Matter Of Interpretation.” Opinion. The G (Grossmont College, El Cajon, CA) 1 April 1987: p5.
• Document Collections and Photographic Archives of the Grossmont College English Department. El Cajon, CA: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.
• "Donnelly, Mary." The Gallery: A 25th Anniversary Photographic Directory of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community Faculty, Administration, and Staff. El Cajon, CA: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, 1987. p34.
• "Donnelly, Dr. Mary."The Gallery: A 35th Anniversary Photographic Directory of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community Faculty, Administration, and Staff. El Cajon, CA: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, 1996. p45.
• "Emeriti Faculty Applauded." Courier (GCCCD Board newsletter) 17 April 2006.
• Fitzpatrick, John A. “Reading Skills Classes Offered To Students.” News. The Summit (Grossmont College, El Cajon, CA) 13 October 1993: p2.
• “Ford, Donnelly Named Top Faculty.” The Summit (Grossmont College, El Cajon, CA) 11 September 1997: p1-2.
• Grossmont College Institutional Archives. Learning Resource Center. Grossmont College, Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.
• Statesman Yearbook. Lincoln High School. San Diego, CA: 1966, 1967, 1968.
• Steinbach, Bob. Driftwood ("Snippets of Gossip"). GCCCD Grapevine 16.2 (July 2006): p4.
• Thompson, Sherry L. "Donnelly Named New Dean." The G (Grossmont College, El Cajon, CA) 7 Oct 1987: p2.
• Tyee Yearbook. Seattle, WA: University of Washington, 1962-1964.

Glenda K. Richter, Chair (1983-1984):

• Dr. Mary Donnelly 1983-2003 (Acting Dean 1991-1982; Dept. Chair 1994-1999)