Dr. Lindenauer, Professor of History, Philosophy & World Perspectives, will serve as Director of the Kathwari Honors Program starting in Fall 2026. As an Honors Faculty member who has worked with the program for over a decade, she is excited to step into this role. Dr. Lindenauer writes, “I know I have big shoes to fill; Dr. Clements’ leadership over the past three years has strengthened the program significantly, as has the work of Assistant Director Caitlin Kennedy, Interim Assistant Director Mikayla Silkman, and the Honors Council.”

So far, Dr. Lindenauer has had many amazing experiences with the Honors program. “Certainly, the courses I have co-taught with Dr. Gagnon from Theatre Arts are among the highlights. The opportunity to travel with students to London and to Paris as part of our course curriculum has not only been a highlight of my work with the Honors program, but a highlight of my teaching overall. Those experiences have been transformational for students, and for us.”

Two other courses stand out for Dr. Lindenauer, including Gender and Popular Culture in American History, which she first taught in 2011. The course “was a revelation for me as a relatively new faculty member,” she writes. “[It] provided me the opportunity to think critically about what it meant to intentionally design an interdisciplinary course. I also learned what it meant to cede more control to students, students who were more than capable of helping to set expectations for their learning.” Last fall, Dr. Lindenauer taught HON 298 Conversing with the Devil, which explored the Salem Witch Trials and included a field study in Salem, MA. “And what a joy it was… I’m still learning how to successfully feature project-based learning in my courses, and students in [this] course were great partners on that journey.”

In the fall, Dr. Lindenauer expects to spend some time adjusting to her new role within the program and meeting all of the Honors students. Then, she aims to “think about how best to showcase the program, to position it as a place where applied and experiential learning is paramount, and to encourage and celebrate our students, students who are prepared to take intellectual risks and to make a difference in the University at large.”