On Oct. 1, Nicholas Monk will assume the role of executive director of the Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning.
As executive director, Monk hopes to ensure that “teaching and learning at Brown is given the highest possible profile” so that all students can be “as successful as they could possibly be,” he told The Herald.
The Sheridan Center coordinates Brown’s Peer-led Tutoring Program and Writing Center, as well as an English language support program.
Monk said he was “thrilled” when he found out he had received the position, describing the role as “one of the great jobs in teaching and learning centers in the U.S. — the plum job, if you like.”
He currently serves as the director of the Center for Transformative Teaching at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, which has far fewer staff members than the Sheridan Center — a change he said he was excited about.
In his new role, Monk will be tasked with writing a new five-year strategic plan for the Center, as the current plan is approaching its final year. The plan outlines the Center’s initiatives and goals across all of its programs.
On a day-to-day basis, Monk will be responsible for connecting with administrators and staff to adapt the Sheridan Center’s operations to meet the University’s goals.
“Dr. Monk will need to be attuned to campus priorities related to teaching and learning and solicit input from students, faculty and administrators to create responsive programs and services for the Center’s diverse constituencies,” wrote Matthew Goode, director of operations and the Brown Learning Collaborative at the Sheridan Center, in an email to The Herald.
Deputy Provost Janet Blume — who Monk will report to — described him as “visionary and adaptable.”
Monk “impressed the search committee and the Sheridan team with his collaborative and inclusive leadership style and his clear commitment to teaching and learning in all its forms,” Blume wrote in an email to The Herald.
“I’m continually impressed by his enthusiasm and collegiality,” Blume added.
Beverly Russell, associate director of the UNL’s Center for Transformative Teaching, described Monk’s departure as “bittersweet.”
“He’s really cherished here,” Russell said, adding that Monk’s colleagues at the UNL are both “excited for him” and “sorry to see him go.”
According to Russell, Monk is someone who “gets the balance right.”
Monk had only been the inaugural director of the UNL center for about seven months before the COVID-19 pandemic started. But that didn’t stop him from rising to the challenge, Russell said.
“He’s just really good at being able to quickly adapt and meet urgent and emerging needs, as well as also being a steady, reliable and calming presence,” she said.
She believes Monk is well-suited for his new position because of his fondness for challenges and his passion for meeting new people. As Monk is both an academic scholar and someone with experience directing a teaching and learning center, Russell feels that the role is a good fit.
“He’s really a pleasure to work with,” Russell said. “I think Brown has made a great choice.”
Monk has a doctorate degree in English and comparative literature from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom. Russell believes that Monk’s diverse higher education experiences in both England and at the UNL will provide a “fresh perspective” at Brown.
Blume added that the Sheridan Center thrives at developing “long-term (strategies) for improving teaching and learning, as well as meeting emergent and unexpected needs as they arise.”
“I am confident that Nick, who comes to the Sheridan Center with a strong track record of advancing teaching excellence, fostering inclusive learning environments and leading transformative initiatives that benefit both students and faculty, will continue to build on these strengths,” Blume wrote.
Samah Hamid is a senior staff writer at the Herald. She is from Sharon, Massachusetts and plans to concentrate in Biology. In her free time, you can find her taking a nap, reading, or baking a sweet treat.
