20+ years
TO HONOR THOSE WHO ARE CELEBRATING 20-YEAR MILESTONES OR MORE, THE VIEWS FROM THE HILL EDITORIAL TEAM SAT DOWN WITH WILLING FACULTY AND STAFF TO CAPTURE THEIR STORIES .
in his 20th year
J oel D’A ngelo DEAN OF FACULTY
F orty-two minutes changed everything for Joel D’Angelo. Two decades ago, as he was nearing completion of his Ph.D. in biology, D’Angelo received a fateful call from Hopkins to teach a sample lesson for a ninth grade biology class. It was late in May, so at best, he figured it would be a temporary opportunity. At the time, inspired by a little T.A. experience in graduate school, D’Angelo had entertained the idea of leaving the field of scientific research for the world of education, but high school wasn’t a consideration. That was until that first forty-two minute lesson was over. “I was completely blown away,” remembers D’Angelo. “What grabbed me was the curiosity of the kids and the interesting questions they asked. I had so much fun in that classroom.” On his way out the door, D’Angelo thought to himself, “I really want to stay here.” The feeling was mutual. Later that evening, when he returned home, D’Angelo received a call from then Head of School Barbara Riley offering him a full-time faculty position. “It was late in the school year, so I figured they were desperate to find someone,” joked D’Angelo. “But even on that first day, I had already fallen in love with this place.”
Although he has never left the classroom, D’Angelo’s career at Hopkins could be defined as a gradual expansion of roles and new opportunities, each one giving him a fresh perspective on the School and its community. In those early years, serving as a Junior Varsity lacrosse coach helped him see a different side of his students. His eventual role as Science Department Chair gave him the opportunity to collaborate with science faculty as they designed curriculum and helped the program evolve. As an adviser and later as a head adviser, D’Angelo was able to gain a deeper under- standing of how kids and families navigate all facets of the learning experience. And in his current role as Dean of Faculty, D’Angelo has relished the opportunity to help steer and shape the direction of the School in close collaboration with colleagues. “This is of course a place of learning,” said D’Angelo. “But that extends to all of us. I’ve always tried to keep learning here and having the opportunity to do so is incredibly exciting.” In twenty years, although the School has grown in size and scope, Joel doesn’t feel much has changed. “The DNA here is the same as it was that first day,” he said.
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2023 • ISSUE 1 | VIEWS FROM THE HILL
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