When Stephanie Paulsell and Kevin Madigan began teaching at Harvard in 1999 and 2001, they were immediately drawn to the positions of Faculty Deans.

Both longed to interact with and support undergraduate students on a deeper level, but the timing never felt right. Twenty years later, Paulsell and Madigan have settled into their first semester — albeit a strange one — as Faculty Deans of Eliot House.

“The undergraduate students here have so much energy and vitality that they bring to everything that they do,” said Madigan. “We get so much out of our interactions with them, and we are so grateful for all that we have learned from them as we have been in the process of acclimating to our life in Eliot House.”

The couple first met at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago, where they both studied medieval Christianity. Paulsell, the Susan Shallcross Swartz Professor of the Practice of Christian Studies at HDS, teaches multiple courses focused on religion and literature. Madigan, the Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History at HDS, teaches on the history of medieval Christian religious practice and thought, as well as a popular undergraduate course on the Holocaust.

Paulsell and Madigan have already begun to foster a residential space that feels supportive and welcoming to students, helping them remain connected to the people and opportunities around them even as many of are spread out around the world.

“What we want most is to help these students meet their goals, to help them achieve their aspirations. Whether that's getting connected to particular faculty members, finding opportunities in the House or other parts of the University, or pursuing fellowships in particular vocational paths, we want to help our students cultivate a great cultural and intellectual life here,” said Madigan. “We also want Eliot to be a place where students feel relaxed, where they feel like they belong and where people know them when they come in the door.” 

Outside of work, Paulsell and Madigan enjoy spending time with their daughter, who is an HLS student. Paulsell is currently interim Pusey Minister of Memorial Church. Madigan swims with a master’s club. When there are athletic competitions and intramural sports on campus, he makes a great effort to support his student-athletes, and often joins in. 

Though their first year as Faculty Deans has been unconventional, they have made strides in helping Eliot students remain connected to each other, the House, and the University. 

“This first-year experience as Faculty Deans has felt like being on a stage set where the actors haven't yet come on. The rooms are clean and open and ready to receive people, but we can't let anybody in,” Paulsell said. “We are really looking forward to the day when our dining hall is full of students again. We hope we can make Eliot House a place that feels like home, both now and when we are all together again.”