Willard College Staff and Fellows
These are the individuals associated with Willard Residential College, including Faculty-in-Residence and Fellows!
College Staff
Connor Bain
he/him
The Faculty Chair is a faculty member that provides intellectual leadership for the college; nurtures the fellows program of the college; engages student members of the college; and, where appropriate, cultivates the college theme and draws in campus resources to promote that theme via fellow appointments and programming.
I’m Connor Bain and I’m an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Computer Science Department. I’m originally from South Carolina though lack any of that delightful southern accent you hear bandied about. I teach many of the introductory computer science courses and try to make them engaging and fun with the idea that computers can help us express ourselves in different ways: from visual arts and music, to mathematics and data science. My research mainly focuses on how learning to program changes how people think about problem solving and learning. I have an eclectic set of interests from getting too invested in various sports teams, trying to find Chicago’s best pancakes, and building huge Lego sets.
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​While this will be my first year as Faculty Chair, I first joined Willard as the Assistant Chair way back in 2018!
Gillian Hemme
she/her
The Assistant Faculty Chair is a graduate student who serves as the Formal Advisor of the college's Executive Board, in addition to performing administrative duties for ORAI, and coordinating with Residential Life Staff. The Assistant Chair holds weekly office hours for college members and serves as the main point of contact for both students and Fellows at the college.
Gillian Hemme is in her second year of the Interdisciplinary PhD in Theatre and Drama. She received her BA in Theatre from Grinnell College and her MA in Theatre and Performative Practices from University College Cork. She examines the impacts of incarceration on the body as made legible through performance, and she conducts her work through embodied performance practices as well as archival research. Gillian’s recent research has focused on Ireland’s carceral institutions, including Magdalene Laundries. She has served as the director of Piven Theatre Workshop’s EPIC (Ensemble Play in Corrections) program at Cook County Jail since co-founding it in 2016. She is a recipient of a Mellon Cluster Fellowship in Gender and Sexuality Studies. Gillian is also a performer, playwright, and director. She invites you to learn more about her work at www.gillianhemme.com.
Willard Fellows
Meet the Fellows! The Willard Fellows are faculty and staff with unique ties to Willard Residential College. They come to events planned by the dorm, engage with Woos, and even host exclusive classes and events for Willard residents.
he/him
Gary Saul Morson
Gary Saul Morson is the Lawrence B. Dumas Professor of the Arts and Humanities and professor of Slavic languages and literatures at Northwestern University. His many books include Narrative and Freedom: the Shadows of Time, Anna Karenina in Our Time and The Words of Others: From Quotations to Culture.
Feyza Burak-Adli
she/her
Department of Anthropology
Feyza Burak-Adli is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Anthropology at Northwestern University. She received her Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from Boston University in 2020. She holds a joint MA in Anthropology and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies from Brandeis University, and an MA in English from Wake Forest University. Her broader research interests include the anthropology of Islam and Sufism; ethics and subjectivity; gender and sexuality; Turkish Studies.
Department of Religious Studies
she/her
KB Dennis Meade
Dr. KB Dennis Meade is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Black Studies. Her research areas include the study of the modern African diaspora, religious cultures and politics in the Caribbean, ethnographic methods, and the digital humanities. Prior to her career in academia, she was a college counselor and program director in various non-profits focused on underserved youth.
Dr. Dennis Meade is a first-generation Caribbean immigrant raised in New York City. She enjoys fancy pizza, learning about spiritual traditions, and listening attentively to elaborate stories improvised by her toddler and preteen nieces. Dr. Dennis Meade has learned that sharing belly laughs with friends helps cure the Chicago winter blues.
he/him
Domenic DeSocio
Department of German
Domenic is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in German and teaches a variety of courses, from German language and the history of sexuality in Europe to electronic dance music and club culture in Berlin. If you come to his office in Kresge, he’ll serve you jasmine tea and give you music recommendations. When not on campus, you might peep him at your local dance club or in a vintage store looking for just the right outfit.
he/him
Eli Finkel
Department of Psychology
I'm a social psychology professor who studies romantic relationships (e.g., initial attraction, marital dynamics, shared goal pursuit), American politics (e.g., political polarization), and their intersection. I work at Northwestern University, with appointments in psychology and Kellogg. My undergraduate degree is also from Northwestern (1997), and I earned my MA (1999) and PhD (2001) degrees with Caryl Rusbult at UNC Chapel Hill. I live in Evanston, IL, with my wife, two kids, and various pets. I am curious, but not querulous.
she/her
Linda Gates
Department of Theatre
Linda Gates is Head of Voice in the Department of Theatre at Northwestern University where she teaches voice, speech, text, dialects, and specializes in teaching, coaching, directing Shakespeare’s plays. As a professional voice and dialect coach, she has worked both on and off-Broadway, in Chicago, regional theatre, opera and film.
she/her
Danielle Gilbert
Department of Political Science
Danielle (Dani) Gilbert is an Assistant Professor of Political Science. Her research explores the causes and consequences of hostage taking, including projects on rebel kidnapping, hostage recovery policy, and hostage diplomacy. At Northwestern, Dani teaches Introduction to International Relations, Negotiation & Conflict Resolution, and other courses about political violence and international security. Her past lives include stints as a professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy, a congressional staffer, a spin instructor, and manager of her college a cappella group’s world tour. These days, when she’s not on campus, Dani is probably running or biking by the lake, reading fiction, or plotting her next trip to the mountains.
Lester Greenman
he/him
Northwestern Information Technology
I am an attorney at Northwestern Information Technology. I work on a broad range of technology-related matters, including contract review and digital accessibility. Previous stops in my legal career include: Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Vice President and General Counsel at the Sony PlayStation group, Senior Vice President at Marvel Entertainment, and Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Majesco Entertainment. I was also a partner in a venture capital firm specializing in early stage investments in Israeli companies. I have masters degrees in History and Education and was an on-set tutor for young actors. I am a film buff, having led several Willard Movie Nights. I was part of a small team that organized two Northwestern-funded conferences (“Progressive Mechanics”) on academic, business and esthetic issues in the video game industry. I have presented several guest lectures in a Northwestern Computer Science class and given several Fireside chats at Willard on the history of the video game business. I was previously a regular attendee at High Table and a member of the Northwestern Academy choir before starting working remotely from New York in March, 2020.
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Christine Helmer
she/her
Department of German & Religious Studies
Christine Helmer is the Peter B. Ritzma Professor of the Humanities at Northwestern University, and Professor of German, with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Religious Studies. In 2017 she was awarded an honorary doctorate in theology from the University of Helsinki for her work on German reformer Martin Luther, as well as for her commitment to theology as an important contributor to the intellectual life of the university.
he/him
Daniel Immerwahr
Department of History
Daniel Immerwahr is a professor of U.S. history. Having dedicated his meager career to higher learning, he is almost entirely unequipped to face the vicissitudes of life on the cold Evanston streets. Should you see him, he will probably require assistance swiping his card (oddly, a laminated library card from 1982) to get into the dining hall. It is not advisable to engage Prof. Immerwahr in conversation, or indeed to acknowledge him at all, if you are in a rush. But once he is seated and fed, he is by and large affable, so long as you like stories about Woodrow Wilson's cabinet. Approach with caution.
Amy Kehoe
she/her
Office of Fellowships
Amy manages many fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students, with the majority being international opportunities. She has worked in higher education, philanthropy, and global engagement for over 20 years, including positions with the Open Society Institute, the University of Michigan International Institute, and the Peace Corps. She holds a BA in Latin American studies from the University of Michigan and an MA in international and comparative education from Columbia University. Amy has traveled to more than 20 countries and loves helping Northwestern students study and work abroad. When not in the office, Amy enjoys hiking with her husband, sailing with her daughters, and visiting art museums.
Susan Osborn
she/her
Piano in Bienen School of Music
In addition to studying at Northwestern, Susan Ramey Osborn '95 DMus has studied at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Smith College, and The New School for Music Study in Princeton, New Jersey. Dr. Osborn is also on the piano faculties of Northwestern University's Music Academy and Interlochen Arts Camp. Her teaching experience includes both private and group instruction for students of all ages and levels. As a performer, she has presented numerous recitals and has appeared as a soloist with orchestras. She is active as a performer and adjudicator in the Chicago area, a member of the honorary music society, Pi Kappa Lambda, and a member of Music Teachers National Association.
he/him
Carl Petry
Department of History
Carl Petry (Ph. D., Michigan, 1974), Hamad bin Khalifa Chair in Middle East Studies and Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence, specializes in the Middle East (Nile Valley: Northeast Africa through Southwest Asia: Iran) from the advent of Islam to the late medieval period (6th-16th centuries C.E.)
Matt Pryor
he/him
Department of Political Science
I have a Ph.D. in Political Science. I hold an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Chicago. I also have a B.A. in Secondary Education Social Studies, and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University.
I came to Illinois from Arizona for graduate school but have lived here for over a decade now. I am married, and we have lots of cats but no kids. Previously, I was an AP US History, and AP Government teacher. I also coached football, softball, and track and field.
I love music! Favorite bands include the Grateful Dead, Radiohead, Wilco, Black Keys, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Jack White, Foo Fighters, Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, and Oasis. My favorite movies: Lawrence of Arabia, The Big Lebowski, Oceans 11, 12 and 13, Devil Wears Prada, Apocalypse Now, Crazy Rich Asians, Bridesmaids. TV shows: The Bear, Shogun, Succession, Better Call Saul, Veep, The West Wing, Southside.​​​
Sheppard Shanley
Northwestern Admissions
I worked in the Office of Undergraduate Admission for a long time and retired in June, 2020 as Senior Associate Director after helping to recruit and choose the class of '24, my 50th class. A few years after I started, one of the students I met and interviewed was in Willard and got me to join. Undergrads already thought Willard was a totally cool place to live, so I was excited to be part of it and still feel a strong tie to Willard. Besides work, I've been in different choruses over the years, some at Northwestern, and have gone to France to see friends almost every year. Both of these got suspended by the pandemic, but they'll come back. I've made many friends at Willard and look forward to getting to know the group that's there now.
Scott Sowerby
he/him
Department of History
I'm Scott Sowerby, and I'm an associate professor in the Department of History. I was born in Vancouver, Canada, where I learned to spell “colour” with a “u” and to say my alphabet with a “zed” instead of a “zee.” Other than that, I had a fairly typical childhood. I enjoy traveling, hiking and walking my four-year-old beagle. If you're interested in Caribbean pirates or British kings and queens, you might want to take a course with me. I'm looking forward to seeing you all in Willard!
Stacia Spencer
she/her
Strings in Bienen School of Music
Stacia Spencer is a senior lecturer in string pedagogy at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music and string coordinator for the Northwestern Music Academy. She also has been on the faculty of the Northwestern National High School Music Institute teaching violin, viola, and chamber music. Ms. Spencer has a special interest in contemporary music, working with composers and performing new pieces. An eclectic musician and performer, she has been a vocalist and jazz singer in the Jon Eaton Pocket Opera Company in Chicago and New York. As a singer and electric violist she has also performed and recorded in the rock genre.
Richard Walker
he/him
Department of Economics
Richard Walker's research interests are in macroeconomics and political economy; and more specifically the role of specialization, information and coordination in determining economic growth. He is also interested in economic models of conflict. He enjoys teaching monetary economics, international finance and econometrics, and leading freshman seminars on topics from financial crises to the economics of Hollywood.
he/him
Michał Wilczewski
Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures
MichaÅ‚ is Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures and has been at Northwestern and Willard since 2021. When you meet him, he will immediately ask you if you want to learn Polish and enroll in his language courses, so you should just do it to save him the trouble. Otherwise, he teaches courses on Polish literature, film, history, and culture, and sexuality in Eastern Europe. When he’s not teaching, you can usually find him wandering the halls of Kresge. Come say hi!
Graduate Associates
Meet the Graduate Associates! The Willard Graduate Associates are graduate students with unique ties to Willard Residential College. They come to events planned by the dorm, engage with Woos, and even host exclusive events for Willard residents.