Celebrating Our People | 5 & 10 Year Faculty & Staff Milestones

We continue the tradition of honoring faculty and staff who are currently enjoying milestone years: 5, 10, 15, 20, as well as those who are celebrating 25 years or more on the Hill. Join us in honoring the “milestone class” of the 2025–2026 school year as we thank them for their tireless work and commitment to Hopkins. We appreciate all who participated in this feature!

“I love my job!”

“You’ve got to learn your instrument. Then you practice, practice, practice.

And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all of that and just wail.”

—Charlie Parker

“No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of your knowledge. The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his lovingness. If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind.”

—The Prophet Kahlil Gibran

“Where there is a will, there’s a way!”

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

—Winston Churchill

“Let the beauty we love be what we do.”

—Rumi

A Decade of Wisdom: If you could give advice to yourself when you started at Hopkins, what would it be?

The work will matter, but the people and the culture you help build will matter even more, and they’re what ultimately make the campus safe, strong, and successful.

Remember to keep it simple, and remember that the essence of life is in relationships—

connect with students, connect with colleagues, and laugh at any foolishness along the way.

Change is inevitable. Embrace it.

The advice that I would give myself is two-fold. First would be to remember the importance of skills. Fact-based history and reputable sources have rarely been more important. By helping students learn to look for those sources and to develop the analytical skills of reading, understanding, contextualizing, and conveying their ideas effectively in written and oral forms, we are helping them build their brains. Second would be the importance of community. When we encourage respectful dialogue, shared experiences, and shared connections in the classroom, we’re providing the foundation for a better world.

Start a teaching journal in your first year at Hopkins. Take advantage of every opportunity to observe classes and learn from senior department and faculty members: there’s a lot of experience and wisdom here! Take copious notes.