Meet Our Faculty
All faculty working in the Core Division at Champlain College are passionate about teaching and learning. Get to know them through what else they love.
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The Coke can symbolizes the "Nature of Things" -- unique and alone in its individuality, yet identical to all others of its kind and One with the Cosmos. |
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Wrapped in my Irish wool cape, which I purchased on a trip in 2005, I am transported to the streets and shops of Dublin, the music-filled pubs of Galway, the wind-whipped coast of Connemara, and I'm connected to generations of my Irish ancestors. Slainte! |
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I love food-who doesn't? Cooking is one of my passions, and sharing food with the people I love is a big part of who I am. I think food is so central in my life because it represents a universally common experience, yet it connects me intimately with my family, my friends, my community, and my culture. Bon Appetit! |
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Growing up in Colorado, I was a competitive freestyle skier and thought I would see how far my ski career would take me before college. Two knee surgeries later I was glad I'd hit the books as well as the slopes. When I teach incoming freshmen I'm reminded of the endless possibilities and sometimes overwhelming choices in their lives. It's a powerful time, ripe for asking questions. (The mini-beetle in the photo was the first car I ever bought, and she carried all my possessions from San Francisco to Boston for grad school. It's always fun to watch people punch one another when they see you.) |
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I love rocks because their call is strong and clear and of the earth. Their cool, solid heft in my hand feels good. And they are everywhere, like poems. |
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Baseball is a lot like life. |
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For an unquiet mind, nothing can focus your complete attention like gliding through moving traffic on the busy city streets. My Hybrid-38 long-board was the one gift that I wished for after I returned from Antarctica in 2001, and she has been on many adventures with me. A few concussions and scars will never outweigh what I've witnessed through the years while exploring new grounds and discovering the hidden sights, smells, and secrets of various cities. Ride fast.
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The Mardi Gras beads and cup are mementoes of my seventeen-year stay in New Orleans, a city where I learned to celebrate every day as though it were Mardi Gras. Laissez les bon temps roulez! |
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To me, there are few things more beautiful than a bright red bucket filled with wildflowers (a favorite gift from my husband on our wedding day). The blooms remind me to be gentle, colorful, and strong beneath the wind and rain.
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I have with me in this photo my object of affection (and object of my minor addiction): my favorite coffee cup. It's a memento of an exciting trip to Glacier National Park, but--more importantly--it's my constant companion through all the reading, writing, teaching, and grading that made up my work days. Always within arm's reach, my trusty green mug keeps me optimistic; it's usually half-full and never half-empty. Curriculum Vitae |
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How could a general education instructor not adore that design classic of versatility, the Swiss Army knife? |
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I am pictured with a 1999 BMW Z3 2.8l. Janice Joplin sang "Oh Lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz..." Janice understood excellent quality and workmanship. In 2009, with much of what we purchase being made in China and often of low quality, my Z3 represents the best in German engineering and high quality. I wish I could say as much for most of the other stuff out there. Curriculum Vitae
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The kid who bought this guitar, with money earned flipping burgers in town, wasn't sure he could or would go to college. Now this artifact from the distant past reminds me never to take for granted any opportunity to learn. That's why I teach. |
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My tattoo is, literally, a part of me. While the shamrock symbolizes my cultural heritage, each leaf represents one of the four interrelated domains that make up my life: family, friends, place, work. |
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Consistently, a favorite time of the week for me is when I sit with The Sunday New York Times Book Review. Books are doors which, when entered, allow the reader to experience all kinds of fascinating worlds that she or he would likely not otherwise explore. But books are many and time is limited. So the Book Review invites me week after week to the delightful, amazing world of books.
Curriculum Vitae |
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Sharing reading suggestions is one of my favorite things about being part of a learning community like Champlain. One book I keep returning to lately is Alan Hollinghurst's The Line of Beauty, a beautiful novel which in many ways is about beauty and the way it transfixes and seduces us. Let me know what you are reading next time I see you on campus.
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"Looking through the viewfinder of my Zeiss film camera allows me to see the world in new and exciting ways. This, too, is one of the great benefits of a liberal arts education." |
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Ringing true to my core being is the jingle of four charms together with a gold heart dangling on my wrist, a loving reminder of my own now college-bound children - the hours of labor, lifetimes, and stories yet to be written held in the palm of my hand.
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Whether it’s used for celebration or comfort, frustration or fun, like language, chocolate can be adapted for any situation. And just like the world can’t function without language, I can’t function without chocolate! With its power to celebrate and soothe, delight and fulfill, it is perfectly adaptable and represents the balance I strive for. |
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When I discovered that I could absorb history and geography from the atlas page, I was off on a two-dimensional, virtual exploration of empires, rising or falling; expeditions, expanding, sometimes exploiting; new networks and population shifts, shaping our complex 21st century world. So now, I am excited to help pilot your journey across the multi-dimensional twists and turns of the universe of ideas. Bon voyage! |
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I arrived in Burlington and at Champlain College simultaneously in the autumn of 2005. I love it here and make definite use of all the numerous outdoor activities this area has to offer, both in the winter and the summer, such as swimming, biking, and skiing. For those of you who are in the know, you might also catch me saying, "Weir everywhere." |
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I grew up near the ocean in Gloucester, Massachusetts, but after college and grad school down south I came back to New England. I have been teaching at Champlain College for about ten years now. When I am not busy teaching Philosophy or Core courses, I like woodworking, gardening, and playing squash. |
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You'll find me posing with an orange chair. It's a replica (not full size) of the distinctive chairs from the Union Terrace at the University of Wisconsin. I spent many a summer day with my teachers, my students, and my friends sitting on those chairs, eating bratwurst and watching sailboats glide across Lake Mendota. Good times, good times. |
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These boots conjure a mythologized America, yet possess a world of influences: Latino, Indigenous, African, Arab, Asian and European. When I wear them, or contemplate their handsome utility, I'm reminded of these extraordinary narratives and humbled by their hidden histories. And I'm inspired to learn more.
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Melville's Moby Dick is not only a great interdisciplinary romp through 19th century American minds; it's also, um, a whale of a tale. As a historian I appreciate the book's evocation of another time and place. As a teacher I love its breadth, its humanity, and its sense of wonder. Oh, and it has big fish. |
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Champlain likes to encourage "global awareness" in students, so there's a globe in my picture. If we need another reason, let's say that earth is one of my favorite places. Students sometimes need to remember how much of the world they have yet to encounter. |
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There is something about myths and stories of the past that I find thoroughly intriguing. As Persian legend has it, tear catchers were used by women - abandoned damsels, widows and concubines - to capture the evidence of their grief. My mother left Iran during the revolution with this one carefully tucked away in her luggage. Silence and stillness may permeate its graceful shape and blueness, yet it offers up so many layers of meaning, including the multitude of emotions that define our humanity. After all, tears are not simply spilled during moments of sadness, but in times of joy, tenderness, awe, and compassion. |
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My friend Therese in Los Angeles made this gourd rattle for me several years ago. She never used to think she was an artist, much to my surprise. When I look at it, I see not only its beauty -- it also reminds me of the importance of good friends in my life, and the amazing creativity of ordinary people. |
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After a decade away from snow while in graduate school, returning to my native New England allowed me to reconnect with one of my abiding passions. Whether testing my limits in races, exploring deep backcountry woods, or kicking around meadows with wife and sons, cross country skiing connects me to my Norwegian heritage, the natural world around us all, and my friends and family. |
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Little did I know when I chose to play the flute as a kid that it would become a lasting passion. As a musician, there is always something new and challenging to explore. It's a great way to sustain lifelong learning. |
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This man who wrote "all men are created equal" owned slaves. He was an inventor, architect, lawyer, founded a university, gave us freedom of religion, became president. He believed there are no questions we shouldn't ask, no ideas we can afford to ignore. So do I. |
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A Chinese philosopher pointed out that if a person makes no progress in his study, it is simply because he lacks courage. I think he meant courage to fail, but also courage to try, courage to succeed. In short, this is what we as teachers are supposed to do -- to inspire courage in our students. That said, if we don't model that very courage then how can we teach our students anything? In the picture I included a few items from my trips overseas, hastily grabbed from my office bookshelf. Until a few years ago I had never travelled outside of the U.S. Now I've had the wonderful opportunity to embark on numerous trips to places like the Middle East, Africa, India, and Europe. To make that possible I had to discover the courage to believe that one is never too old to change one's life entirely. That may be the greatest lesson I could ever teach my students.
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I like to run. Running is a simple sport. It doesn't involve a lot of equipment or rules but that doesn't mean it is always easy to do. Sometimes running flows effortlessly and sometimes that last mile seems nearly impossible. But no matter whether it is an easy day or a hard one, whether I am running just for fun or in a race, each run is a chance to challenge self-imposed limits, to overcome obstacles, and to test endurance.
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I begin class by ringing the singing bowl. It calls us to be mindful and offers a respite in our often overwhelming schedules, a moment to listen, to breathe. Then we begin, ready to wonder together. |
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I threw this bowl after taking a pottery class. To me, it represents my endless quest to try, learn and experience new things. I've tried my hand at many crafts from quilting to coaching, from photography to skydiving. I find seeking out new things doesn't just satisfy my curiosity about the world, but it also gives me an appreciation for what talents we each possess. I believe in constantly exploring who you are and how you're contributing to the world around you. |
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I've been teaching at Champlain College since 1990 and I have never had a better job, nor have I ever worked with finer people. Nevertheless, I leave the country whenever I can. I truly love my family, my well-used passport and all media which open windows to the world. I embrace the classic Germanic values of Familie, Fahren und Fernsehen. |
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I enjoy creating piles. Whether the piles are of wood which is cut with chainsaws and then split by swinging a maul, or lists of mountains climbed, bottles of maple syrup made in my sugarhouse, books read, poems published, places traveled, or friends made, I have a passion for collecting and building. It's nice to be able to see those accomplishments even though some may only be temporary or not stack just right. |
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Traveling with my family, both across the U.S. and abroad, is a source of joy in my life. Whether taking a cross-country camping trip or vacationing overseas, part of every summer includes visiting gorgeous sites and making new friends from around the world. Once we've completed a trip, I'm ready to start planning the next one! |
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Animals have emotions, argued David Hume, and Hume, in this as in most things, was correct. This cat is named Bacon. This cat is affectionate; this cat is prudent; this cat is wise; this is an excellent cat. My cat is always happy to see me, and I am always happy to see my cat. |
