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Death notices and obituaries

A Tribute to Dr. Kathleen (Kay) Tudor

Graduation Year: fall2019

Obit day: Friday, November 29, 2019

Momodou Sabally is the former Secretary General and Minister of Presidential Affairs, The Gambia

As one of the first graduates of the Saint Mary’s University Extension Programme in The Gambia (SMUEP), I was privileged to have been a student of the late Professor Kathleen (Kay) Tudor.

The SMUEP, which served as the nursery bed for the creation of the University of The Gambia, started off with three major courses from late 1995 to early 1996. The first two courses were Calculus taught by the late Professor Ken Dunn and Global History, taught by Professor Jim Morrison. The two classes merged into one big class in early 1996 to study Introductory English and the professor identified to fly to Banjul to teach this course could not have been better chosen.

Professor Kay Tudor came in with her royal stature and unmatched academic brilliance, ready to deliver the academic goods.

Many bright students, renowned for their proficiency with the language were shocked with the strict marking and attendant unflattering comments the professor made on our assignments. I still remember those remarks for they became catchwords we, henceforth, played with: “wordiness,” “awkward,” “tautology.” The lessons learned were well worth the trouble and the improvement in our language skills was remarkable.

I never had plans or thoughts of becoming an author when I studied under Professor Tudor, but when I decided to pursue writing as a passion and a trade, the knowledge attained through her class became a golden treasure.

Adieu, Professor Tudor. I am a witness to your distinguished service to humanity. I am not sure if this tribute itself would meet your exacting standards, but I am confident you would be pleased that the seeds you sowed many decades ago were not planted into barren soil. Your lessons endure and their fruits will surely mature in time. Rest in peace, our dear old Professor.