Meet Dr. Cortney McLeod
Faculty Spotlight
Meet Dr. Cortney McLeod, associate professor of English.
McLeod earned her BA in English from the University of Central Florida. She went on to earn her MFA and Ph.D. in English from the University of Florida. McLeod is currently attending Auburn University's distance program to receive a Clinical Mental Health Counseling M.Ed.
Gordon State College welcomed McLeod in 2010 after teaching at various community colleges and large universities and wanting to join an institution that was dedicated to equal access to education.
As an English professor, McLeod teaches composition, literature and creative writing courses. McLeod's favorite course to teach is English I due to the fact that "everything is new" to the students. She enjoys guiding them through the terrain of college. She also enjoys teaching colloquium courses when given the opportunity.
The most memorable moments of her career at Gordon would be watching previous students walk across the stage during commencement. Other highlights include joining the Highlander community as a tenure-track professor, working as a faculty advisor for the Gay-Straight Alliance and joining the JEDI and BIT committees.
McLeod considers herself extremely lucky since she belongs to a field where learning is a life-long process. She will never learn "everything," but this allows for curiosity and the ability to learn from that curiosity.
When McLeod was younger, she always said that she wanted to be a "part-time everything" and a "full-time learner." She still carries this with her up to this day, welcoming the different experiences and learning opportunities that come her way. With this mindset, McLeod hopes that each student leaves her class with more knowledge, a deeper appreciation for differences and a feeling of empowerment. She wishes nothing but success to all of her students.
Outside of the classroom, McLeod loves to spend her free time doing outdoor activities such as walking her dog, kayaking, jogging and gardening. She also loves the ocean and bodyboarding. One day, she would love to learn how to traditionally surf. When she is not doing such activities, McLeod spends her time baking.