A professor of Arts and Letters at the University of New Mexico-Gallup Campus, Gloria Dyc was always passionately advocating reading and writing across curriculum. Dyc, born on April 15,1950 in Detroit, Mich., died recently at home in Jamestown, N.M.

Dyc served as a professor at UNM-Gallup since 1988 and was the chair of the Arts and Letters Department from 1995-2002.

Graduating Phi Beta Kappa with her bachelor’s degree in English in 1973 from Wayne State University and getting her master’s degree in Speech/Theatre from Wayne State University in 1976, Dyc furthered her education with a Doctorate of Arts in English Language and Literature in 1989 from the University of Michigan. 

Prior to coming to UNM-Gallup, Dyc taught at Sinte Gleska College in Rosebud, S.D. from 1982-1988, Wayne County Community College in Detroit, Mich. from 1977-1981, and University of Michigan from 1980-1982.  She also served as an artist-consultant at South Dakota Artists in the Schools Program from 1983-1988 and the Michigan Council for the Arts from 1977-1982. 

In 2007, Dyc was selected as a Regents’ Professor of English which is a title she held for the rest of her career.  Much of her career was predicated on academic research and while at Sinte Gleska College, she did extensive research on Native American communities. While at UNM-Gallup, Professor Dyc was active on the Advisory Board on Composition Curriculum and Teaching.

Dyc was also instrumental in institutionalizing the award-winning publication, “The Red Mesa Review” and active on the Cultural Arts Council. She studied dance extensively and often performed at Tibetan Buddhist retreats. She enjoyed traveling and visited locations such as the Caribbean, Belize, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands. 

In her free time, she loved to write poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction and academic articles.

Dyc is survived by her son Justin Nunez.

UNM-Gallup will host a memorial service for Dyc on Saturday, April 23 at 2 p.m. in room 200 of the Student Services Technology Center. As tribute to the late professor, a collection will be taken up of canned and nonperishable food items to be donated to the Community Food Pantry in her honor.