Eaglebrook Faculty Spotlight: Nicole Lavin-Williams

I went to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where I completed my B.A. in Journalism and a Master’s degree in education.

I am the chair of the English Department, and I teach several courses along with my husband Luke, who is a faculty member and the director of athletics. 

I’m an advisor in Mayer House, and I facilitate the school’s outreach committee and our Korean Affinity Group. 

I came to Eaglebrook in 2014, but I had been teaching for many years before my arrival. 

Oh, gosh, a lot of things. I would say the students, and the fact that there's so much autonomy. I have space to be creative and reach the goals that I want to reach with my students through the vehicle that I choose. 

I like that there's freedom to really dig into what I'm passionate about. The students feel that, and they're able to tap into that as well. So we go on this adventure together, this journey of learning, as opposed to being very top-down.

It’s not one thing; it’s an amalgamation of all of the little moments from day to day. It's supporting an advisee through a difficult time, or it’s celebrating a success with them. It’s a moment in the classroom when a student has that “Aha!” moment, or they’re learning to open up a little more, or we're sharing a laugh together. It's those touch points in the dining hall. There isn't one particular moment in time, but the snapshots that make up one big, warm memory.

Oh, that's an easy one. It’s going on a journey with the students and going through the process of helping them understand who they are as learners, and then teaching them how to learn. The content is almost secondary to helping students realize that they can access information and develop strategies for learning. For instance, I say to my students, “You always know something – even at your most confused point – you always know something about what you’re studying.” So, we dig into that, and as they learn how to build on what they know, they build their confidence.

I do love my home here, but I would also say I love being anywhere on campus outdoors. I can roam the trails, or sit and read a book, or hang out with people by the pond. We are so, so fortunate to be in this beautiful place, and being able to enjoy the outdoors with our students is one of my favorite things.

It doesn't matter what we're doing. I just love our advisee family and being able to spend time together. We get to know the students so much better when we're on an adventure with them, or just making dinner together, or watching a movie, or playing a board game. 

Vanilla.

Leaving my children’s teams aside, the Red Sox.

Fred Rogers. Not only because I was a Fred Rogers fan when I was a child, but because everything he stood for resonates with me. I appreciate his drive to preserve the joy and wonder of childhood. A lot of my approach to working with children comes from Fred Rogers. It means treating children with dignity and respect, validating their feelings, and just listening and working with them. 

I also admired Fred Rogers for his dedication to service to others. I'm a firm believer that we are our best selves when we are helping others, and I engage in a lot of philanthropic endeavors because of how he modeled how to be a good human being.