2018 Teaching Initiative Award Winner

Livia K. Stone, Ph.D.

Ph.D. in Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis (2012)
Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology & Anthropology

Teaching Philosophy

I am dedicated to giving students the skills they need to craft evidence- based critical analyses of culture, society, and politics in the liberal arts tradition of building students' comprehensive understanding of the world as people and citizens.

The three most valuable methods that I bring to my teaching practices are

Every student can be impacted by a class even if they didn't get it at the time or didn't do well in the class.

Students need to feel comfortable enough that they feel they can ask what they think are stupid questions.

Reading and writing are still the most important skills.

The most rewarding aspect of teaching for me is

When I feel like students are really personally touched or transformed by my classes.

Regarding my teaching accomplishments, I am proudest about

The former students who get in touch with me a long time after they have graduated to tell me that they still think about one of my classes and how it impacted them.

photo of Livia Stone — “I feel that I have forged my own way, but my experience as a first-generation college student, learning about the world is my most influential experience for teaching.”