Hood welcomes new professor

By Zoe Finholm//

Hood has welcomed its new Sophia M. Libman National Endowment for the Humanities Professor, who said he hopes to “contribute to fostering racial awareness amongst the student body and faculty.” 

The professor, William Allen, Ph.D., is teaching Contemporary Philosophical Topics. He generally teaches courses in social and political philosophy.

“The faculty and staff have been very welcoming and considerate, and I enjoy teaching my students. However, due to the pandemic I am still learning about the culture at Hood,” Allen said. “I suspect that in a time of normalcy the campus is livelier with more students on campus and activities. There is a limit to what you can learn through online activity.” 

Allen focuses his research on racial justice, “a topic that is certainly timely, but also relevant to understanding American society and politics,” Allen said. 

Allen previously taught at Morgan State University in Baltimore, but left for Hood because it, “presented a better opportunity for me to teach courses based on my research interests [and gave] the opportunity to utilize my organizational skills for the Humanities Colloquium I manage at Hood,” Allen said. 

Allen said he wishes to increase student interest in philosophy classes. “I believe the critical thinking skills and scope of topics addressed are of benefit to any student both professionally and personally,” he said. 

“In light of recent racial incidents at Hood, I hope to contribute to fostering racial awareness amongst the student body and faculty,” Allen said. 

The incidents this semester included the posting Patriot Front stickers, a hacked Zoom club meeting and a hateful note that was put under a student’s door.

“Hood strikes me as a welcoming community concerned about the education and well-being of its students,” Allen said. “No student should feel unsafe or unwelcome at Hood, hence the community as a whole should be concerned and address such issues when they appear.”