Washington College Magazine
The Next Generation
No one understands better than our alumni the transforming experience of a Washington College education. They've been through it. So when our alumni return to teach here, their students benefit.
Howard Ponzer, an instructor in the philosophy department, and Michele Volansky, assistant professor of drama, are the newest faculty members who once occupied the College's classroom seats. Members of the Class of 1990, Volansky and Ponzer are thrilled to guide today's students through some of the same lessons they learned years ago.
Michele Volansky '90 and Howard Ponzer '90 agree: they wouldn't want to teach anywhere else.
"I came here as a lacrosse player and left with honors in philosophy," says Ponzer. "I made my initial self-discovery here, and have really fond memories of this place. I discovered that I could interact with lots of different groups and be totally at ease. I could use the language of the Literary House students as well as that of student athletes."
Three weeks after reading Dostoyevsky's Notes from the Underground with Professor Robert Anderson, Ponzer quit the team, declared himself a philosophy major, and devoted himself to academics. Still, the lure of athletic competition remained; today he goes to every home lacrosse game, continues to play tennis, and closely follows European soccer. He has found that his extracurricular interests put his students at ease.
Volansky, who came to Washington College for the writing program and then discovered the power of theatre, believes that the core values of the institution haven't changed since she and Ponzer were students. "We are still teaching in the same way that we were taught—helping students learn how to question the world, how to participate in the world, how to become citizens."
While as a dramaturg Volansky emphasizes analytical thinking and clear expression, she also is concerned with human character and behavior. Volansky carries portable copies of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, and uses them in her classroom.
"These documents allow you to interpret human behavior—which is what drama is all about. They offer scripts for life."
300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, Maryland 21620 | 410-778-2800 | 800-422-1782