FoW: Austin Washington

By: Angela Zhang, Nicholas Rose, Andy Horrigan, Anvi Bhate

Teaching wasn’t Austin Washington’s original profession. Washington’s career started in Spokane, Washington, playing soccer in college and later professionally for the Spokane Shadow. Over a five year period, Washington spent his days on and off the field, eventually ending up in Chicago, playing for the MLS’s Chicago fire. 

Washington discovered the Academy during an ongoing study of theology and social ethics at Boston University. Washington shared he “had some really exciting professors who could ask beautiful questions that made you really think,” which gave him an interest in student centered learning. When a mentor of his told him about a job opening at the Academy, he couldn’t resist looking into it. “I was told to look up the learning style. When I saw the school was interested in a learning style where students were asked to bring to the table what interested them and I just got to be part of the conversation, I was sold,” Washington recounted.

At Exeter, One might find Mr. Washington on the athletic field, coaching girls varsity soccer, advising the Athletes for Racial Justice club, or teaching in the Religion Department, where he focuses on employing his style of “student-centered” teaching. “The aim is to make sure students are asking questions that are relevant to them. They're able to bring concerns that are relevant to them and interesting to them,” he said. In his philosophy, Washington is just another student at the Harkness table, furthering his own understanding of the material. 

“Mr. Washington has an intuition about his students and where their strengths lie,” said Michele Chapman, a fellow faculty member for Webster hall and co-teacher of BioEthics. 

Washington’s students have similarly high remarks for this class atmosphere. “His ability to guide the classroom without being distant from discussion (even while online, which was fairly rare for some teachers) made it seem like he had always been at Exeter,” said Senior Riley Valashinas, who took his class Ethics of the Marketplace in the fall of last year.

Washington possesses a great interest in and teaches a large number of these types of ethics courses. Specifically, he enjoys pondering questions regarding one’s duty and commitment, along with how these traits can be viewed from the future. He explains, “I'm interested in how to be a human being, and I think all of the ethics courses allow me to approach that question in really different and interesting ways.”

“As a lover of learning one could only hope to have such an insatiable desire for gaining knowledge as he does,” Health Teacher Brandon Thomas commented, having seen his interest for ethics and human behavior in action. “Endearing for sure.” 

To boot, Washington is a very punctual and hard-working person. In fact, sometimes, he is humorously too punctual. “Mr. Washington cracks me up when he arrives at class an hour before it starts. At least I never have to worry that he won’t make it on time!” Chapman joked.

Students and teachers alike praise Washington and the many ways in which he has contributed to the school. “Mr. Washington has become increasingly involved in the Exeter community since his arrival here just over a year ago,” Chapman continued, describing how inspirational it is that he is so involved despite being new. “I have been incredibly impressed with his work ethic, breadth of knowledge in his field and his willingness to jump into so many facets of the school. Our community is lucky to have his expertise in the Religion Department and on the soccer fields.” 

Washington further proves to be multifaceted beyond academics and athletics. “He may be the most thoughtful human being I have ever encountered which is why I love him,” Thomas recounted. “We can talk about the EPL, foreign policy, or joke about being perplexed in other languages.”

Thomas continued, “I don't want to tell on him, but he has a large amount of hidden talents. Him and I have conversations in Spanish and I recently found out he can speak French as well.”

If you see Mr. Washington, say hello, or bonjour! “I wish people knew that I'm a quiet person. So if you ever see me and you are afraid I won't say hi, I'm probably more afraid that you won't say hi,” he joked.