Cameron Brickhouse
Frequently sighted greeting her students and friends along the paths with her hair wrapped in a colorful printed headscarf, her small black Patterdale terrier Bijou prancing at her side, History Instructor Cameron Brickhouse brings her affability and wit wherever she goes. Whether she is leading a discussion at an Afro-Latino Exonian Society (ALES) meeting, catching up with Bancroft Hall residents, or organizing an event with the Martin Luther King Day Committee, Brickhouse is making her mark on the Exeter community.
Brickhouse was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, where she attended an all girl’s school for thirteen years before attaining her bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia, where she studied anthropology and archaeology prior to discovering her passion for Africana studies. Then, Brickhouse attended the University of Pennsylvania. There, she was named a William Fontaine Fellow of Africana Studies.
“I want my students to have fun. I want them to be comfortable, and I want them to be challenged as well.”
Before arriving at the Academy last year, Brickhouse volunteered in the Charlottesville public school system and at Virginia Commonwealth University AmeriCorps in Richmond. She also worked as an intern at the Virginia Historical Society, and the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.
Brickhouse credits her upbringing with instilling in her a love of history and Africana studies. Brickhouse remembered reading novels about African-American history and culture, and musing over her parents’ collection of exotic masks decorated with art originating from the Caribbean, the Ivory Coast and Nigeria as a young girl.
Years later, Brickhouse carries that passion into Exeter’s classrooms, teaching courses on pre-colonial and modern Africa, as well as the U.S. History sequence. At the Harkness table, Brickhouse practices an easy-going teaching philosophy. “Everyone’s [approach to] Harkness is a bit different,” Brickhouse said. “I want my students to have fun. I want them to be comfortable, and I want them to be challenged as well.”
Upper Isadora Kron, who took Brickhouse’s pre-colonial Africa course last year, commended her enthusiasm during class discussions. “I loved having Ms. Brickhouse. She always had so much energy and knew how to lead a thought-provoking and inclusive conversation, even when we touched on sensitive topics,” Kron exclaimed. “Her love for history is infectious.”
Outside of the classroom, Brickhouse serves as an adviser to ALES. Every Tuesday, she plans discussions and activities with the ALES board, and on Friday nights, the club has a weekly discussion, providing “support for each other as a community of people of color.” Upper Chandler Jean-Jacques described Brickhouse’s presence in the ALES meetings as “strong” and “impactful.”
“Her [Brickhouse’s] comments and advice are deeply valued and respected,” Jean-Jacques remarked. Brickhouse believes her expertise on the African diaspora, developed during her doctorate studies, aligns with many discussion topics in ALES. “I find that my work dealing with black people history and culture levels out,” Brickhouse explained. “I find it naturally aligned to work with students who want to talk about race and inclusivity, really recovering their history in the classroom.”
As an adviser to both ALES and the MLK Day Committee, Brickhouse feels that the Academy’s current focus on diversity and inclusivity is a long overdue effort to make every student feel comfortable on campus. Brickhouse affirmed the importance of the Academy’s reckoning with racial injustice: “It’s work that we should’ve been doing a while ago. I think that the injury and trauma of students of color at Exeter hasn’t really been focused on. Fostering diversity and inclusivity doesn’t only benefit students of color. It benefits the whole student body.”
Brickhouse said that her ultimate goal is to help her students become responsible global citizens. “In order to do this, you have to be culturally competent,” she explained. “You need to be knowledgeable about other people, and comfortable dealing with differences by trying to help each other and protect each other in an environment that’s not always welcoming.”
Brickhouse’s favorite aspect of Exeter’s residential program is interacting with students outside of the classroom. Bancroft Hall residents expressed their gratitude for her energetic, informative presence in the dorm. Upper Anna Clark, who is also one of Brickhouse’s advisees, appreciated her sympathy and gaiety. “I think Ms. Brickhouse’s youth makes her feel more relatable to a lot of her students,” she said. “It puts her in a really good position to give mature, adult advice, while also understanding her students’ perspective.”
Kron agreed, praising Brickhouse’s willingness to truly listen to students. “I think one of Ms. Brickhouse’s greatest assets is her ability to understand. I can always go to her for advice or just an open ear to talk to,” she said. “I get excited when she’s on duty in the common room. She truly is a gift to the Exeter community.”