Bringing Education to Life: Our Dedicated Talloires Faculty
Monday, November, 30th, 2020 Academic Programs Newsletter
Every year, our Tufts in Talloires program features an extraordinary group of Tufts faculty. They come from different disciplines across the university, but they create a single academic community in Talloires. These dedicated faculty enthusiastically adapt their courses to provide an educational experience that makes their subjects come alive in Talloires. The collegial environment at the Priory provides opportunities for interdisciplinary exchanges and collaborations and even more importantly, lasting friendships. Often accompanied by their families, Talloires is a journey of discovery as much for faculty as it is for students.
We asked several of our faculty why they teach in Talloires. Here are some of their responses:
“The best part about Tufts in Talloires is the sense of community that develops out of our shared experiences. We study and learn together, but we also travel, hike, eat meals, swim, play, […] learn to navigate life in a new country and culture (and sometimes, even share many transformative hours in an airplane terminal). […] Living in a new country pushes students to take risks in the classroom as they stretch themselves and work toward the common goal of navigating this new and spectacularly beautiful place together.”
–Erin Seaton, Senior Lecturer, Education
“The bulk of my research happens at CERN, the largest physics laboratory in the world. CERN is just a few kilometers away from Talloires. I therefore first saw my participation in the Talloires program as a unique opportunity to bridge my teaching and my research in a very efficient way, and to easily integrate research expertise in my classes, for the benefit of the students. Obviously, after only a week in the program, I discovered that Talloires had even much more to offer!”
–Hugo Beauchemin, Associate Professor, Physics
“How do I love Talloires? Let me count the ways. The natural beauty and chance to live abroad are deeply replenishing on a personal level. Being able to share the experience with family has been a special privilege. But I have equally enjoyed teaching there because of the special bond one forms with students, inside the classroom and out.”
–Andrew McClellan, Professor, History of Art and Architecture
“Teaching in Talloires offers a stunningly beautiful break from routine and familiarity that inspires fresh ideas and helps encourage deeper connections between students (and faculty and among faculty and staff from different departments). Where else can you connect with students in class and on a hike?”
-Sarah Sobieraj, Professor, Sociology
“More than anything, to me Tufts in Talloires is about the power of community. The program provides a unique opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to interact in ways that just aren’t possible on the main campus. The program fosters a supportive environment that not only makes for an enriched academic experience, but also an opportunity for personal growth. Teaching in Talloires has been the most fulfilling and rewarding part of my work at Tufts.”
-Brian Roach, Senior Research Associate, Global Development and Environmental Institute
“I always thought that the job came in three parts: I’d teach my classes, of course; secondarily I’d meet students and try to make them comfortable in their new environment and learn what I could about them; and, lastly I tried to be a good citizen of the village where I made many friends and got to recognize almost everybody. It was a unique situation. I might spend a day grading papers by the lake (and occasionally jumping in), a day broken up by conversation and the (to me) inevitable ice cream cone. I’d chat with faculty I’d never meet in Medford, […] It was a full, rich and varied life, stimulating intellectually and socially. I never got over the physical beauty of the place or the delight I felt in the people I met.”
–Michael Ullman, Senior Lecturer, English and Music