Deming appoints new faculty deans for Currier House

Nancy Hill and Rendall Howell have been named the new faculty deans of Currier House, Danoff Dean of Harvard College David J. Deming announced Wednesday. They will begin their new role July 1. 

“I am thrilled to welcome Nancy and Rendall as the new faculty deans at Currier House,” Deming said in his message to Currier students and College staff. “They have a long track record of connecting with students and ensuring they have the support to feel at home on campus. The link between living and learning at Harvard is a key component of the House system and the faculty deans, along with residential staff, ensure students have the experience they deserve.” 

Hill is the Charles Bigelow Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She teaches a first-year seminar called “#Adulting: Psychological and Sociological Perspectives on the Transition to Adulthood” in collaboration with Harvard Radcliffe Institute. She is co-author of the 2021 book: “The End of Adolescence: The Lost Art of Delaying Adulthood,” written with Currier House alum Alexis Redding. Outside of teaching, she is the director of Education Research at the Boston Area Research Initiative, a partnership between Harvard and Northeastern University that pursues original urban research. Hill holds a B.S. in psychology from The Ohio State University and an M.A. and Ph.D., both in developmental psychology, from Michigan State University. 

Howell earned a B.A. in economics from Oberlin College and an M.B.A. in finance from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. He currently works in financial technology, advising clients on digital-first banking solutions and technologies, a career he has been cultivating for years.  

Howell and Hill are currently faculty directors in the Graduate Commons Program at Harvard. Together, they served as faculty-in-residence in a freshman dorm at Duke University. They have a 14-year-old son, Theo, and all are musicians who enjoy performing with students and participating in jam sessions. 

In his message, Deming thanked outgoing Faculty Deans Sylvia Barrett and Latanya Sweeney who have served the Currier House community for the past 10 years.  

“It is clear that Sylvia and Latanya have had a lasting impact on Currier House,” said Deming. “Together with the staff and tutors who provide support for students, they have made clear what it means to be a member of the Harvard community.”