Grace College’s Dr. Paulette Sauders is retiring this summer after 55 years. Photo provided.

News Release 

WINONA LAKE – Grace College is celebrating Dr. Paulette Sauders’ 55 faithful years of service upon her retirement this summer.

Sauders’ decades of work as a literary guru and trusted professor, colleague and editor have left an indelible mark on the institution. She will be honored with the title of emerita faculty following her retirement as a professor of English and Journalism.

“It is hard to think of a person whose life more fully exemplifies the mission of Grace College,” said Grace College President Dr. Bill Katip.

Sauders saw five of the six school presidents take office during her tenure in the English program. While many things changed throughout the years, Sauders stated that the most important things remained. “I have continued to teach full-time at Grace College for 55 years because the school has stayed true to the word of God and its mission, because I have loved teaching the students who have come to Grace, and because I’ve loved the fellowship with the colleagues I’ve been teaching with,” she said. 

Sauders’ time at Grace began when she decided to attend as a student.

Sauders graduated in 1964 and returned in the fall of 1965 to begin a 55-year career of juggling roles on and off-campus. Sauders served as department chair from 2003-2016, during which she created and cultivated a number of academic programs; she served as the faculty advisor for The Sounding Board school newspaper for more than 40 years; and she led countless trips for students including the Stratford Theatre Festival in Canada, and the annual Go Encounter England trip.

Sauders is perhaps most notorious for her proofreading and editorial skills. She serves as an unofficial proofreader for The Grace Story magazine and many other Grace publications. Sauders has affectionately been named “the assassin” for her abundance of red markings.

Dr. Lauren Rich, chair of the Department of Humanities, said, “While the length of Dr. Sauders’ employment is impressive enough, it is by no means her most significant achievement. She has accomplished more than many faculty could achieve in twice that time. I am humbled by the steady stream of alumni stopping by her office; it’s inspiring to hear about her impact on their lives—an impact that transcends the academic skills she taught them to include the way she cared for them and supported them through difficult times.”

Grace is pleased to announce that Dr. Sauders will continue to teach part-time beginning this fall. A reception celebrating her retirement has been postponed due to the pandemic and will be rescheduled at a later date.

Photo attached: Grace College celebrates Dr. Paulette Sauders’ 55 faithful years of service after her retirement this summer.