1947
Born in Los Angeles, California to Walter Isaac and Mollie Sarah Nyda.
1966
Receives an Associate of Arts from Los Angeles Valley College.
1968
Receives a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles.
1971
Becomes a teaching assistant, lecturer and associate director of the Freshman English Program at the University of Southern California.
1974
Receives a Master of Arts from the University of Southern California.
1976
Marries Gregory Bohdan Passty.
1982
Receives a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Southern California.
1982
Becomes a visiting scholar in the English department at Texas State University.
1983
Becomes a lecturer in the English department of the University of Texas.
1985
Becomes a visiting assistant professor and adjunct associate professor at Texas Lutheran University.
1988
Becomes an assistant professor at St. Philip’s College.
1988
Authors “Eros and Androgyny: The Legacy of Rose Macaulay,” an ALA “Outstanding Academic Book.”
1992
Promoted to associate professor at St. Philip’s College.
1998
Authors “The Lion Tells Her Story: A Biography of the Honorable N.P. Brooks Hinton.
2001
Authors “Bringing Denis Home: The Hero from Hope, Kansas.”
2009
Authors “Creating the Spark.”
2010
Authors “Hard Times and Great Expectations.”
2011
Authors “The Music of the Spheres.”
2012
Authors “Conquering Diabetes.”
2017
Receives the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award.