“I believe that diversity is essential to excellence — that an excellent education requires a diverse student body and diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives,” remarked Dr. Aegerter as she reflected on her 25 years of experience teaching English at Lakeside. Indeed, this commitment to inclusion has proven to be the driving force behind her accomplishments in the English department.
When Dr. Aegerter first joined Lakeside in 2000, the school was engrossed in a time of change: Bernie Noe had begun serving as head of school and instituting initiatives of expansion and diversification as part of his mission of bringing change to the school. Having been a college professor, Dr. Aegerter was anxious to begin teaching high school sophomores. However, she soon felt welcomed by the student body, explaining that the adjustment was “a real testament to the students because even though I’d been teaching college, I didn’t feel in any way that I was having to lower my expectations.” Citing Lakeside’s small class sizes as one example, Dr. Aegerter found that Lakeside allowed her to connect more with students outside the classroom as a teacher and advisor. This student-focused pedagogy was also present in class, and she enjoyed that students were engaged with their learning.
Within a few years of arriving at Lakeside, Dr. Aegerter began designing new courses for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Specializing in postcolonial and diaspora literature, she helped develop electives such as Black and and African American Studies, Multiethnic Literature of the United States, and Quest for Queer Literature. She takes pride in the English curriculum’s inclusion of authors with diverse gender and ethnic identities, adding that the effort has “been a constant progression.” Dr. Aegerter emphasized that this diversified curriculum should provide students with both mirrors and windows: the ability both to see one’s experiences reflected in a story and to see into others’ unique and fascinating worlds.
She looked through one such mirror herself when she began teaching American literature herself: “That was really interesting for me because I did not study American literature, as I grew up in Zimbabwe, … but I certainly developed a real passion for it, and I’ve been teaching junior English for many, many years now.”
As for windows and their creation, Dr. Aegerter believes firmly in “using literature as models of beautiful writing.” To help students develop their craft, Dr. Aegerter always makes herself available outside of the classroom, and she encourages students to advocate for themselves and avail themselves of opportunities to engage with teachers. She argues that Lakeside students are increasingly preoccupied with activities outside of school, and that this challenge inhibits their ability to be fully present in class. While she empathizes with these extracurricular pressures, she notes that part of her role as a teacher and advisor is to help students be kinder to themselves. To be academically successful, she advised that students should be willing to do their work and arrive to class ready to contribute.
Even as she prepares to retire after a quarter-century at Lakeside, Dr. Aegerter still intends to serve her community in many forms. She hopes to continue volunteering to support applicants with college essay writing and keep working with students outside of Lakeside on an enrichment curriculum. Dr. Aegerter also has international adventures planned with her family, beginning with a winter trip to South Africa, where she had previously attended the University of Cape Town. Of course, she will have plenty of time to attend to her greatest passion: reading beautiful works of literature.
Yet, departures are always emotional, and no less is true for Dr. Aegerter. Having involved herself in many ways with the student experience — as a teacher, an advisor, a member of the admissions and all-school diversity committees, a teacher mentor, and a co-advisor of Imago — she will not forget Lakeside’s sense of community: “I will miss coming to the beautiful campus and having that sense of belonging to something bigger than myself.” She adds that she will remember her English department colleagues, visits from alumni, and, above all, her students. Dr. Aegerter’s kind, caring presence will be dearly missed. The Lakeside community will forever be grateful for her commitment to fostering an environment where every person feels represented, connected, and included in the classroom and beyond.
