Betsy Cohn retires from HFC after 31 years of teaching and service

When developing her career plans, HFC English instructor Betsy Cohn thought she wanted to become a veterinarian.

“I ultimately decided that I didn't have the emotional fortitude to treat other people's pets,” recalled Cohn, of Royal Oak. “The switch from science to English seems unusual. But English was a passion for me, and an English professor mentored me in applying to English graduate school programs. I felt myself returning to my family roots, too. My parents were both journalists, and I grew up surrounded by books, reading, and writing. That, I think, was the greatest gift my parents gave my siblings and me. As a teacher of English, I hoped to share some of that with my students and help them gain the power of communication as well as the simple joy of words.”

By the end of the Summer 2026 semester, Cohn will retire from HFC after 31 years.

“The College sure has changed a lot since I was hired in 1995!” recalled Cohn. “It has had several presidents, weathered internal and external stressors, and always come out strong because of the heart of everyone who works here. Even though it dropped ‘community’ from its name, we still managed to keep community at the center of our work.”

Impact on HFC extends far beyond the classroom

In addition to being an English instructor, Cohn has been active at HFC in many ways. She has been involved in many committees, including the Committee for the Assessment of Student Learning, the Instructional Technology Committee, and the SAFE@HFC committee. She was also involved with the Faculty Senate.

“I’ve learned a lot through teaching, and also through experiences beyond the classroom,” she said.

Cohn is perhaps best known for two notable roles outside the classroom:

• She has been an active member of Local 1650, serving as Internal Vice President for more than 10 years.
• She was the director of the Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation for six years.

“These two activities were especially impactful,” she said. “Both pushed me beyond my comfort zone into leadership positions.”

She was also the primary writer for the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Assurance Argument during the HLC’s three site visits to HFC in 2015, 2019, and 2025. HLC is the accrediting body that allows HFC to be credentialed to present degrees and have its students eligible for Federal financial aid, among other benefits.

“Betsy is a dedicated, creative, effective instructor,” said fellow HFC English instructor Dr. Michael Hill. “Her impact on this College extends far beyond her classroom. Besides the countless hours she has spent telling the story of our College for the last three HLC arguments, her leadership has focused on protecting the integrity of the education and the learning of our students. As a faculty member who had the great fortune to learn from her in faculty orientation, in committee meetings, on the Senate, in Local 1650, and in the hallways, I will miss Betsy dearly. I will always be grateful for the ways her work continues to make our College a better place to teach and learn.”

Interim President Dr. Lori M. Gonko enjoyed working with Cohn on the HLC accreditation projects. “Preparing an assurance argument can be the most overwhelming part of an accreditation visit. It requires a ton of work, there’s a lot riding on it, and you’re balancing input from dozens of people. With coolheaded, collaborative Betsy at the helm, I never doubted that we would succeed. And she was such a fun partner in the work! We laughed a lot and developed a close friendship that I will treasure forever.”

Strong believer in the community college mission

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Cohn is the third of four children. She has a twin brother who is six minutes younger than her.

An alumna of Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., Cohn earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She later earned her master’s degree in English from the University of Virginia.

Cohn has taught since 1991. She was a graduate assistant in the UVA Writing Center. She also taught part-time at Pennsylvania State University before coming to HFC (then Henry Ford Community College) in 1995.

“I applied to colleges across the country at a time when teaching positions were few,” she explained. “I believed strongly in the community college mission, which made HFC very attractive. Not having family in the area, I was tentative about moving to Michigan. As it turned out, HFC offered me not only challenging and often rewarding teaching opportunities but also other professional opportunities. Just as importantly, the HFC community became family. I am incredibly fortunate to have worked with so many people I consider close friends.”

One of them is fellow HFC English instructor Angela Hathikhanavala:

“I'm honored that Betsy is my friend, not just my colleague,” said Hathikhanavala. “She's exactly who you'd want by your side when decisions need to be made: calm, steady, reasoned, and thoughtful. Whenever I'm tempted to make a snap judgment, a little voice in my head says, ‘What would Betsy do?’ That's my cue to slow down and think it through. All of us and all of her students are better thinkers because of Betsy.”

One of the many changes Cohn has witnessed during her time at HFC has been the rise of dual enrollment, which allows high school students to concurrently take college classes and work toward their college degree along with their high school diploma.

“The influx of high school students has had a major impact on HFC. Several years into my tenure, dual enrollment was introduced and intended for high-achieving high school students who had taken full advantage of their high schools' offerings. Having a dual enrollment student in a class was exceptional. Now, through dual enrollment and other programs such as the Henry Ford Early College and Advancement Plus, it is common to have several high school students in a class alongside traditional-age college students and returning adult students. Last semester, for example, my students ranged in age from 14 to 76. That mix of ages and backgrounds can be very challenging, given the range of experiences, college readiness, and maturity. It can also be exciting and generate rich discussion.”

A quiet but powerful influence

Besides Hathikhanavala, Cohn served as a mentor to fellow HFC English instructors Scott Still and Pamela Stewart. Stewart now serves the Associate Dean of the HFC School of Liberal Arts.

“I first met Betsy when she was CTEI director,” said Stewart. “Working with adult learners was new for me, and that initial contact grew into a deeper mentorship that supported me as a new faculty member. Betsy was generous with her time, always willing to listen and think through difficult situations. She has served the College in a range of shared governance roles. Betsy's commitment to student learning, faculty development, and overarching kindness to everyone she encounters will be sorely missed.”

Cohn was a member of the hiring committee that hired Still in 2003.

“Please don't hold the fact that she was involved in hiring me against her – no one's perfect,” joked Still. “All kidding aside, Betsy has been a welcoming and calming influence. When I first came aboard, she was also beginning her stint as the director of the CTEI, so she helped facilitate a deeply informative HFC 101 cohort when I was a new instructor. Her mentorship, however, stretched far beyond those official duties. Betsy has held a quiet but powerful influence, serving as my coach, my confidante, and – most of all – my friend. I am going to miss her deeply and I wish her the best in retirement.”

Throughout her 31 years at HFC, Cohn has taught a full range of English classes from developmental to composition through business and technical writing. She says she loved them all.

“My job became clearer to me a few years into my tenure when I realized that I was really teaching students how to learn as much as I was teaching them how to read and write at the college level. What has been most rewarding to me is seeing students gain confidence and tap into interests and skills they didn't know they had. For example, a student from a previous semester came by my office to wish me well on my retirement. She said that when she started in my English 131 class, she absolutely ‘hated’ English. Now she is considering journalism as a career. She was more amazed by that transformation than I was; I saw the writer in her before she did. That is incredibly exciting.”

Retirement plans: traveling and smothering her dog(s) with attention

HFC Dean of SOLA Dr. Brad Romans will miss Cohn’s expertise and leadership.

“For more than 30 years, Betsy Cohn has shared her expertise, grace, and love of animals with students, staff, and faculty at HFC,” he said. “She has been instrumental both in and out of the classroom. Betsy has made enormous contributions to curriculum, institutional accreditation, and to the experiences of her students. I wish her the best in her well-earned retirement.”

Cohn grew wistful when asked what she will miss about HFC.

“I’ll miss a lot,” she said. “This career has given me purpose and identity as well as incredible friends. It's given me a sense of belonging. I am so fortunate. As for my plans, I am going to figure that out as I go! Things I know I will do: I will read a lot for fun and smother my dog – and any other dogs who happen to walk by – with attention! I will enjoy traveling at off-peak times, and I will zero in on some good volunteer activities. And I will stay in touch with my friends and hopefully up to date on the College, which I'll continue to hold close in my heart.”