The Tremendous Faculty

ourdoor classroom photo

The Tremendous Faculty

BY MICHAEL HOE ’04, DIRECTOR OF STUDIES

As I sit here and reflect on the effort of the faculty last year, I cannot help but get emotional. It is hard to put the efforts and accomplishments of our faculty into words. All I can say is that it was simply amazing.

World Languages teacher Malick Mbengue coaching the VWS Varsity Soccer team

IT ALL BEGAN IN MARCH 2020, when the pandemic forced us to evacuate the campus and move our educational program online. Our resilient and dedicated faculty pivoted, adapted, and closed out what turned out to still be an extremely successful year. Looking forward to 2020-21, we knew we needed to prepare in the event the pandemic lasted. Our faculty rose to the challenge, allocating part of their summer to learning how to use Canvas, our new Learning Management System, and collaborating in department teams so that our students could receive a high-quality academic program no matter the circumstances. Facing a tremendous amount of uncertainty, the resolve of our faculty was apparent as we kicked off the new year – investing boundless energy into creating community and culture in the Zoom classroom, intentionally checking in with advisees and students, and thinking about ways to preserve the Webb program and traditions in what was now our new online normal.

The diversity of our campus community is one of Webb’s great strengths. We have students from local communities, from across the United States, and around the world. With time zone realities a challenge, our faculty articulated the goal of having our international students receive an equitable experience, with live classes as well. It certainly was not easy, yet our faculty collaborated to offer live evening sessions for students. This was not only important for academic success but also critical for our students to remain connected, to have a daily touchpoint with a real-life Webb faculty member in real-time. Our faculty traded dorm duty, which is full of social connection and a great unwinding at the end of the day, for additional online classes, an element of work that takes tremendous energy and concentration. And we gathered together during an evening time block for community events, such as chapel and class meetings.

Science teacher Lisa Nacionales conducting online class from the chemistry lab

While there were certainly some bleary-eyed and tired nights, every faculty member did this knowing that it was to demonstrate our commitment to our students, to care for them and be sure they knew we were here for them. In our community health surveys, these efforts were validated as the majority of our students indicated that their most common and consistent support came from Webb faculty throughout the entire year. Even though we were separated by miles of land (and bandwidth), it is clear that what makes our faculty so special is that they care about the students beyond just the material of their classes. They care about each and every one of their students as human beings, which makes our community the special place that it is today.

You might think that working through a pandemic would lead faculty to put their own professional growth on pause. Instead, our faculty jumped into the opportunities presented by virtual conferences with enthusiasm, and several either continued or started graduate degree programs. We also had a record number of faculty and staff attend the People of Color Conference and other trainings as part of our ongoing commitment to achieving our DEI initiatives. The Webb faculty of 2020-21 was, in short, tremendous. Reflecting back on last year, we laughed together. We cried together. We consoled each other. We celebrated together. We learned from each other. We learned from our students. We made it through 2020-21 together because OF EACH OTHER.

As a team, Webb’s faculty not only ran an incredibly high-quality online program, but also continued to demonstrate genuine care by putting in the time and effort to connect with their students each and every day. I am continually amazed by our faculty’s passion, creativity, and dedication to our community, and feel honored and proud to call them my colleagues and friends.

World Languages teacher Sonsoles Cardalliaguet handing out diplomas to the VWS Class of 2021 Food Service Director Armando Amezcua overseeing the new cafe in Hooper Community Center

Humanities Department faculty members having a socially-distanced meeting