Enthusiastically Alive in the Present Moment Since his appointment to the Westminster faculty in 1986 as head of the English Department, Michael Cervas P’96, ’01, ’10 has taught all levels of English; coached basketball, soccer, track, baseball, golf and squash; worked as a corridor supervisor in Alumni House; and presided as department head for three decades. He is retiring at the end of the academic year. This year, Michael has taught Fourth Form English, Creative Writing and a Sixth Form elective, coached boys’ squash, supervised the community garden and served as the faculty advisor for The Martlet, a school arts and literary publication. His interest in teaching literature by living writers led him to found the Westminster Poet series in 1999
and the Friday Nights at Westminster series in 2009. He continues to direct both. Michael is the author of four books of poems: “Inside the Box,” “Captivated,” “A Wilderness of Chances” and “Even Here.” He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1972 at the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in English at Brown University. He and his wife, Deb, are the parents of Josh ’96, a graduate of Amherst College; Emily Autumn ’01, a graduate of the University of Puget Sound; and Anne ’10, a graduate of Harvard College. They also have three grandchildren. Michael shares his thoughts about his 34-year tenure at Westminster.
Top, Michael Cervas with students in his Creative Writing class, and above, in 1987. 40
Westminster Bulletin
