Dr. Anne Kuhta to Retire After 32 Years at NOVA

Dr. Anne Kuhta has graced the stage of Northern Virginia Community College for 32 years and now it’s time to say farewell. Through the years, Anne has taught English Composition I and II, Introduction to Literature and Survey of American Literature. Dr. Kuhta also served the college and community in a number of ways. Among them, she chaired the Manassas Campus Forum, served on College Senate, contributed to the QEP development committee, coordinated the Manassas Campus writing contest and served as an assistant dean for English. Dr. Kuhta is a past president of the Virginia Association of Teachers of English and was named their Virginia Teacher of the Year, receiving a Commonwealth of Virginia commendation. One of Dr. Kuhta’s very special accomplishments was the design and teaching of a memoir writing course for students age 50+ “The Next Fifty – A Humanities Program for Older Learners,” which was featured in “Back to the Classroom,” an article in the magazine Mature Outlook.

Dr. Kuhta touched the lives of many students and faculty, serving as a mentor for many English faculty on campus and in the Dual Enrollment program. She has taught in the Higher Education program at George Mason University where she also served as a liaison to encourage NOVA faculty to further their education. She has served on several doctoral committees. Dr. Khuta has published in general and peer-reviewed journals, both regional and national, and contributed to textbooks in her field. Her poetry that many of us adore, has been published in the Northern Virginia Review.

To complement her teaching, mentoring and administrative duties, Dr. Kuhta organized European tours, taking groups of 26 to 52 faculty, staff, and students to Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, Germany, Monaco, Spain, and Portugal during many memorable Spring Breaks.

Dr. Kuhta’s colleagues had this to say about her, “Even after 32 years, the thought of her not being in the building makes me off-kilter. Yet the blessing is she is my friend.” (Dr. Laura Casal) “I would describe her as a “no-nonsense” advocate for the English department and students. She cared about students and learning – forget the rest – and she was willing to speak up.” (Dr. Susan Givens) As her office remains with a soft lamp burning for clarity of view, Dr. Kuhta’s legacy will remain in the English suite where her grace and profound knowledge of English has impacted thousands.

Dr. Kuhta holds a BA in English from Christopher Newport University, an MS in Education from Old Dominion University, and a DA in Community College Education from George Mason University. Thank you Dr. Kuhta for sharing this portion of your life with us. You will be greatly missed.