Brief Biography:

‍Samantha grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where she received a combination of public, private, and home education. In addition to academics, Samantha studied classical violin and Vaganova Syllabus ballet. Both of those pursuits launched her teaching career. During her undergraduate years at Hillsdale College, Samantha taught ballet at Studio 55 and began a strings program at Will Carleton Academy. In addition, Samantha completed the Dow Journalism Program in 2013 and worked as a journalist for publications across the nation, including The Washington Examiner, The Santa Barbara News-Press, and WORLD Magazine. In 2019, she began teaching middle and high school in California and earned multiple subject and single subject English teaching credentials from California State University, Chico. Samantha, her husband, and their three children now live in Hillsdale, Michigan.

Research Interests:

‍I am interested in the practical applications of classical pedagogy to K-12 education. In particular, I would like to explore the roles of habit formation and the cultivation of rightly ordered affections in a classical education model.

‍Recent Professional Developments (Publications, Conferences, Fellowships, Internships/Employment):

‍While teaching English and journalism at CORE Butte Charter School in Chico, California, I received a paid fellowship from CalMatters for my journalism program. This resulted in the school’s first newspaper publication, The Lynx of Truth. The local paper, the Chico Enterprise-Record, not only printed our paper but also published investigative journalism produced by my students.

‍What Has Been the Thing You’ve Appreciated Most About Your Time Here?

‍Hillsdale has a vibrant community of faculty and staff members who strive for excellence. I enjoy being a part of this community and all it entails: seeing my boys flourish at Hillsdale Academy, getting to know my cohort in the Master’s program, working with the talented publications team at the Hillsdale K-12 Office, and learning from world-class professors.

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