Trevor Stern ’11
Current occupation:
Dean of the Faculty and Varsity Lacrosse Coach at Avon Old Farms School, CT
Why did you choose to Major in English Literature?
My journey as an undergraduate student began with a desire to attend graduate school to study nutrition. As a student-athlete, I was – and still am – deeply interested in nutrition and exercise physiology; however, after taking the required English class my freshman year with Professor Wall, my interest in literature and writing started to develop. Before long, I started enrolling in as many English courses as possible. Class after class, I became more and more entrenched in studying literature and writing, and the subject truly sparked an intellectual curiosity that I never experienced. When it came time to declare my major, my heart was dead set on continuing the study of English, and I decided to defer my dream of studying nutrition and exercise physiology. This was, hands down, the best decision of my life.
What did you enjoy about Majoring in English at Trinity?
My passion for studying English at Trinity was directly connected to the professors I was fortunate enough to learn from. As a younger person, I was drawn to my professors’ passion and love for the subject; it was infectious. Furthermore, with small class sizes, I was able to explore the subject in an intimate way and not only learn about the material we were covering, but also learn an enormous amount about myself and my classmates. I found wonderful friends within the English Major, and I was excited to attend class every day with professors that cared about me. I have fond memories of spending countless hours in different spots around campus completely lost in the books I was reading. Most importantly, I found my voice.
How did an English Major prepare you for your career?
As I rounded the corner to senior year at Trinity, I had no doubt that I wanted to be an English teacher. This strong conviction was solidified through the positive impact that my professors in the English department had on me. I absolutely loved studying English and wanted to share this passion with younger people. My career has been teaching in the independent school world, and while my English Major at Trinity unquestionably gave me the tools and foundation of knowledge to teach the subject, I never quite realized how the degree prepared me in many other ways. English classrooms are rooted in collaboration, expression of ideas, synthesis of information, and ultimately finding one’s voice through communication and writing. These soft skills have been invaluable for the growth of my career as an educator and administrator. Even if I were to not be a professional educator, the skills learned as an English Major transcend that of the classroom. The ability to communicate with colleagues, understand their ideas while intertwining your own, and ultimately being able to use a particular voice to achieve a desired end are universal skills that the world needs. The English Major not only allows students to discover their own humanity, but it also equips students with all of the necessary skills to thrive in the world.
