Ryan C. Welsh

English Faculty; Professional Development Coordinator, Providence Day School

Class Year

1973

Professional Background

Improviser, designer, educator. I teach and consult with k-16 groups and individuals to design learning and professional development for all stakeholders and constituents.

How has being an English graduate from Duke University helped shape your professional success?

I can read. I can write. I can think. The Duke English Department taught me those skills and how they work together. I tell my students, "all the world is a text. We need only learn to read. If we can learn to read the world well, we stand a better chance of writing the world in meaningful ways." I was taught how and why to make meaning. I can do most anything with the skills and mindsets I acquired and practice in the Duke English Department. As an added bonus, my faculty taught me and demonstrated the power of an educator who cares about students, pedagogy, and content (in that order). I owe my professional success and my doctoral degree to people like Maureen Quilligan, James Applewhite, and Reynolds Price.

Ryan C. Welsh