HDS communications reached out to our 2021 graduating students to hear from them in their own words about their experiences at HDS, the people who've helped and inspired them along their grad school journeys, and their plans for the future.
Favorite Class or Professor
One of my favorite professors at HDS is Dr. Todne Thomas, who teaches classes on the intersection of religion and race, and religion and neoliberalism. She's brilliant and hilarious. I think she's read every book—the margins of my notebooks from her classes are filled with additional reading recommendations. We had assignments in her classes that were more than just research papers, creative work that helped me grasp these huge systems and concepts. I took a class with Prof. Thomas before the pandemic and another during it—she flexed her teaching style to all of our needs in a way that cut through my exhaustion and turned her class into a community.
Message of Thanks
My deepest gratitude to: Dean Rose for welcoming me into this community and making me feel like I could belong here. Professor Moore for showing me where the theory meets the road and for believing in my writing when my own belief was faltering. Dean Bartholomew for nudging me toward working with the Racial Reconciliation and Healing Project and fundamentally changing my life. Professor Giles for your mentorship, for counseling self-compassion, and for showing up when I took your advice not to struggle alone. Dean Gauchel for taking care of me when I was ill, for learning together and navigating the soup of humanity with such kindness and good humor. Professor West for modeling integrity under scrutiny, care for humanity, and joy in the face of despair. Professor Harouni for blowing everything to smithereens. And to my phenomenal classmates—you brilliant, vulnerable, honest, hilarious, thoughtful humans—of whom I am in awe. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
What I Hope to Be Remembered By
If you remember me, I hope that I was kind to you. And when I did or said something ignorant, I hope you saw me learn.