We are greatly saddened by the news of the demise of Mary McGann, professor of English and native of Rhode Island, who had been directly engaged in founding the American Studies Center at the University of Warsaw and of its twin institution, the Polish Studies Center at Indiana University, Bloomington.
Mary McGann served as associate director of the American Studies Center in 1981 – 1982. Mary and her husband Timothy J. Wiles, who was Fulbright Visiting Professor at the Institute of English Studies at the University of Warsaw at the time, were among the very few international visiting scholars and the very few Americans who remained in Poland when martial law was declared in December 1981. They made many friends here during these turbulent months. Upon returning, Tim served as director of the IU Polish Studies Center for more than ten years. The hospitality with which Mary and Tim welcomed Polish scholars visiting Bloomington has been legendary.
Mary and Tim have returned to Poland on multiple occasions. Mary has also visited Poland alone and with their son David after Tim passed away in 2003. Most recently, Mary McGann was Fulbright Visiting Professor at the American Studies Center in 2012-2013. At the time of her death, on April 27th, 2022, aged 76, she was retired from her post at the University of Indianapolis.
