Andy Housiaux, Instructor and Chair in Philosophy and Religious Studies, has been selected by the Search Advisory Committee and team to serve as Andover’s next Currie Family Director of the Tang Institute.
Housiaux will replace Caroline Nolan, current Director of the Tang Institute, who will leave her position at the end of the academic year. As Director, Nolan oversaw all activities of the Tang Institute, which dedicates itself to developing and sharing new approaches in education.
In an email to The Phillipian, Housiaux wrote, “I’m excited for this new opportunity because the Tang Institute allows our bright and talented faculty to reflect on the most important thing that happens at Andover: student learning. How can we best support student learning in all aspects of life here? And how can we make sure that we are creating an equitable and inclusive learning environment for all students? As we attend carefully to these important questions, we will naturally reflect on related matters of pedagogy, student wellbeing, and the purpose of an Andover education today.”
In an email to The Phillipian, Head of School John Palfrey wrote, “I foresee continued growth and innovation out of the Tang Institute under Mr. Housiaux’s leadership. Ms. Nolan, the Tang team, and its fellows have done an amazing job getting it off the ground and I am eager to see how high it can fly from here… Mr. Housiaux is among the most thoughtful, insightful educators I have ever met. He will combine the sensibilities of a classroom teacher with the reach of an educational visionary in his work as the Currie Family Director of the Tang Institute.”
In addition to teaching several courses, Housiaux has worked with the Tang Institute as a Tang Fellow. His project, Mindful Community, works to support students, staff, and faculty in cultivating everyday mindfulness.
Housiaux is also one of two program directors for Niswarth in Bhutan, one of the many experiential-learning opportunities offered by the Tang Institute’s Learning in the World program. This summer, Housiaux will lead Niswarth in Bhutan to the world’s last Himalayan kingdom, where Andover students will explore Bhutan’s culture among Bhutanese peers.
