Thomas Ramsey

On a typical Friday evening, one can stop by Phillips Church and find religion Instructor Thomas Ramsey participating in the weekly Buddhist meditation group. With his wide breadth of knowledge and compassionate demeanor, Ramsey has impacted the lives of many in the Exeter community.

“When I heard about Harkness at Exeter, it seemed like a perfect fit.”

Ramsey grew up in Baltimore, Maryland prior to attending Hamilton College in upstate New York. He originally planned to pursue American history until he took a Bible course in college. “Although I grew up going to church, I didn’t really know about the Bible,” he said. “In college, I took a Bible course because I wanted to understand the subject matter.”

Carrying this spark of passion to Yale Divinity School, Ramsey focused on biblical studies, religion and the arts, and American religious history. Afterwards, he taught at Trinity College for 18 years.

First coming to Exeter to substitute for a teacher on sabbatical, he assumed a permanent teaching position in 1998. He cited the Harkness pedagogy as a factor that drew him towards the school. “When I taught at Trinity, I always liked sitting at the table with students and running discussions,” he said. “When I heard about Harkness at Exeter, it seemed like a perfect fit.” The idea of being affiliated with a dormitory also appealed to Ramsey.

Ramsey teaches several religion courses at Exeter, ranging from the study of different religions and their social contexts to ethics and philosophy. By the time students complete a course, Ramsey aims to teach them to reflect on the meaning, purpose and value of their lives. “I hope they have some sense that religion and philosophy and ethics are fascinating and that it’s fun to study them,” he said. He also hopes “that they have some connection to the questions that are asked in both religion and philosophy [and] that they can find some personal relationship to those questions.”

Senior Tess Aalto, who took Ramsey’s Zen Buddhism class, appreciated how inclusive the classroom environment was. “Mr. Ramsey is very genuine and thoughtful,” she said. “He created an environment in the classroom where students with different backgrounds could still approach the subject matter and made Zen Buddhism accessible to everyone.”

Religion Instructor Peter Vorkink shared similar sentiments, describing Ramsey as deeply empathetic. “As a classicist as well as a classically-trained religion teacher, he has brought a voice of care and compassion to the many students enrolled in the Religion Department courses he has taught over the years,” he said. “His interests are wide, and he has taught both introductory as well as advanced courses in the department.”

Senior Chi-Chi Ikpeazu, a student in Ramsey’s New Testament class, said that the class was thorough but not overly difficult. “Mr. Ramsey taught us by providing a good background and thorough context for what we needed to learn,” Ikpeazu said. “He’s very kind and open-minded.”

Most other high schools don’t have a department specifically dedicated to religion. However, Ramsey views religion as a critical subject, as it unifies all aspects of a student’s academic life. “Studying religion and philosophy can help students to integrate all of the things they’re learning in school and to understand connections between them and to consider why they’re studying what they’re doing,” he said. “It helps students to build bridges between the different areas of their lives.”

Ramsey also advises a number of clubs and student organizations on campus. In addition to being a part of the Adult Buddhist Meditation Group, he advises Ethics Forum, which competes on a national level, Philosophy Club and the ESSO club Big Sib Little Sib.

Some of Ramsey’s favorite moments of his time at Exeter have come from his affiliation with Hoyt Hall. He described his relationship with the students in Hoyt as “a human connection.” “Dorm duty can be tedious, but as soon as someone comes in the room, we start chatting,” he said.

Hoyt Hall residents adore Ramsey so much so that a picture of him is featured on their dorm gear.  “Mr. Ramsey is one of my favorite faculty members on campus,” upper and Hoyt Hall resident Isabelle Wise said. “While I’ve never actually had him as a teacher, I can definitely say he’s played a role in my life at Exeter by being such a positive force in Hoyt.”

Senior and Hoyt resident Meg Bolan described Ramsey as a “cool uncle” who “counteracts and vibes with the vibes that come with a girls dorm. He is always ready to acknowledge and appreciate the little joys in life, and when you’re around him, you can’t help but begin to realize the little things you’re grateful for, too.”

“I know Hoytians appreciate his presence, and that his colleagues can find a friend in him for the same reasons we do,” Bolan continued. “Mr. Ramsey reminds people to slow down, savor and acknowledge all that is around us: our beautiful campus, bright friends, and the fascinating information we collect each and every day.”

Religion Instructor Thomas Simpson has known Ramsey throughout his tenure at the Academy. He said, “We often end up side by side in the Fitness Center on the elliptical machines talking about teaching, about coaching, about life, and laughing about how we’re getting older. Most of all, when I think of Mr. Ramsey, I think of a close, caring and patient listener.”