During our national search nine candidates visited campus throughout the winter. Dr. Erickson emerged as the leading candidate in a very strong field of educators. I am grateful to the Middle School Search Advisory Committee, student representatives, and parents for their support and good counsel.
Dr. Erickson, who is an Episcopal priest, serves as the head of the humanities program at St. Paul's School in New Hampshire, an independent college preparatory school. As part of St. Paul’s leadership team, he has particular responsibility for curricular planning, faculty development, and budget oversight in the academic disciplines of English, history, religious studies, political science, and philosophy. In addition, he is active in the advising program and plans chapel services.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in music from Chicago’s North Park University and a Master of Divinity from North Park Theological Seminary, Dr. Erickson lived in Sweden for five years where he earned his Doctor of Theology in the History of Christianity from Uppsala University. Fluent in Swedish, he wrote his dissertation on how immigrant communities determined a need for founding educational institutions. After a one-year postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University’s Divinity School, Dr. Erickson joined the faculty of St. Paul’s School in 1998.
Outside St. Paul's, Dr. Erickson is involved in a number of professional societies and church organizations. He has been guest preacher and teacher all over the country and the world, including Sweden, England, and Ghana, and has published many of his scholarly essays. As part of his ordained ministry, Dr. Erickson currently serves as Canon Liturgist for the Diocese of New Hampshire, was elected deputy for the Episcopal Church's General Convention 2006, and is an assisting priest at St. Paul's Church in Concord.
Members of the Middle School Search Advisory Committee were unanimous in their support of Dr. Erickson’s candidacy. Their recommendation of him reflects the highest degree of confidence in and enthusiasm for his background, leadership style, and teaching philosophy.
Dr. Erickson will visit NCS in March and join us as of June 20.
Sincerely,
Kathleen O'Neill Jamieson
Head of School