Distinguished teacher and Professor Emeritus of History Cynthia Behrman passed away Sept. 3, 2016.
Behrman earned a B.A. from Barnard College, an M.A. from the University of California, and a Ph.D. from Boston University. Joining the Wittenberg faculty in 1965 and retiring in 1993, she served as chair of the department of history, directed Wittenberg’s international education program, and worked as grants coordinator at the university at various times during her career.
Behrman taught courses in Victorian culture, the craft of history, women in England, and business in history. In retirement, she volunteered her time and writing skills as a faculty-mentor-in-residence for the Career Center.
As a child, she was fascinated by the Royal Family, which broadened into a lifelong interest in Britain. Through her travels to England and scholarly research, she became an expert in English history. She authored Victorian Myths of the Sea and had dozens of scholarly articles and contributions to numerous books published.
While her academic accomplishments were noteworthy, it was her teaching that garnered the most accolades. She received the Wittenberg Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching Award in 1976, which was followed in 1984 by the Ohio Academy of History Award for Distinguished Teaching. The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio selected her as one of the state’s top 20 educators in 1987, and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education named her one of the nation’s top 40 professors.
A member of the Ohio Board of Humanities, Behrman received numerous study grants and fellowships from organizations such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Philosophical Society and the American Council of Learned Societies.
She is survived by her husband, E.J. (“Ned”) Behrman; a son, David Behrman; two daughters, Elizabeth Behrman and Victoria Steinberg-Behrman; grandchildren Joanna Behrman, Isaac Behrman and Samuel Behrman; sister Gillian Brown; and numerous loving extended family, colleqagues, friends and former students.
