One of the newest additions to the Kingswood Oxford community is Upper School history teacher Dr. Gene Cassidy. This year, Dr. Cassidy teaches Global Cities and Modern World Studies; however, he hopes to teach more history electives in the future in order to share his passion with a wider group of KO students.
Dr. Cassidy is from Asbury Park, N.J. He is also quite the scholar, attending the New College of Florida for his undergraduate degree, then the University of Missouri in Colombia for his masters, and, finally, the University of Michigan for his doctorate. The content of his dissertation allowed him to live and work in Porto Alegre, Brazil and both Munich and Berlin, Germany.
Dr. Cassidy has always had a passion for teaching, and throughout the years, he has held teaching positions of all sorts. Just before coming to KO, he taught and coached at Miss Porter’s School in Farmington
Dr. Cassidy’s first impressions of KO have been very positive. He was initially surprised by KO’s tight knit community. “I wasn’t sure what to expect from a day school, but I wasn’t expecting this sense of community, camaraderie, and just overall welcoming approach that everyone has, being a new faculty member,” he said.
In addition to teaching history, Dr. Cassidy also coaches JV volleyball, a skill he picked up while working at Miss Porter’s. When he began coaching, he had no prior experience, so he took it upon himself to learn the game. “I went to the library and got a book written for like a 10 year old about the rules of volleyball, and I read it,” Dr. Cassidy said.
It is this dedication that we are excited to experience as Dr. Cassidy joins our community. We’re so happy to welcome him and can’t wait to see what he will accomplish in the classroom, on the volleyball court, and beyond!
