Tag Archives: teaching
Kensei Nishikawa Champions The Humanities In A Divided World
Kensei Nishikawa arrived at Amherst as a transfer student from Japan already holding a degree from the University of Tokyo, carrying with him two languages, two cultures, and a deep love of literature. What he didn’t yet know was how profoundly Amherst would shape not just how he reads and writes, but how he listens.
We explore Kensei’s lifelong devotion to the humanities, especially poetry, and the role they have played in his life as both a student and a teacher. Now a professor of English and poetry in Japan, Kensei has spent decades moving between languages and academic traditions, translating words, structures, and ways of thinking. He shares why he believes the humanities remain essential for cultivating empathy, moral imagination, and the ability to hear one another.
Kensei also speaks candidly about aging, memory, and the work of maintaining one’s intellectual vitality over time. Rather than chasing novelty, he is focused on preserving the richness of language and thought.
Highlights include:
What it meant to arrive at Amherst as an international transfer student in 1992, and how that moment shaped his understanding of America.
How Amherst taught him to listen in the classroom, across differences, and in a second language.
The challenges and rewards of teaching poetry and literature across Japanese and American academic traditions.
Why the humanities matter now more than ever, and how they help us live more human lives.
The classmate he hopes to hear from next.
To get in touch, you can email Kensei at kenseini@inst.kobe-cufs.ac.jp. Many thanks to Brian Clark for nominating Kensei.
Nate Smith Missed His Exit But Found His Way
Nate Smith’s post-Amherst journey literally reads like an epic. At the age of 26, he got in his car after work one day at the school where he had been teaching and kept on driving, never to return to the job. Instead, he embarked on a life-changing, sometimes harrowing road trip all the way from Maryland to Central America, living out of his car and taking odd jobs to survive.
His journey reached a turning point when he had to sell his car and found himself homeless in Panama. With the help of the US Embassy, Nate made his way back home, bringing with him invaluable lessons about privilege and the importance of giving back.
Today, Nate is married with two kids, and he has returned to teaching with a passion. He also hasn’t lost his wanderlust; Nate works as an eighth-grade mathematics teacher in Vietnam.
Join Nate and me as we delve into the memorable moments of Nate’s life, his thoughts on humankind, and the lessons he has learned along the way. His experience is a testament to the strength of family, the importance of self-reflection, and the enduring impact of a supportive community.
Plus, learn whom Nate wants me to interview next.
You can email Nate at nathansmith.ghana@gmail.com.
Josh Hamermesh Transformed Near-Tragedy Into Living His Best Life
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I want to spend the next 20 years of my life. How should I dedicate my time, which is more precious to me than it ever has been?
My Amherst College classmate Josh Hamermesh has asked and answered this big question for himself, and the results he has achieved have me feeling more optimistic about my own future.
After graduating from Amherst in 1994, Josh played professional basketball in Israel, went to work in consulting, and earned his MBA from Harvard. That eventually led him to the world of biotech and pharma, where he rose through the ranks and held some big jobs. But rather than experiencing any major exits or critical value creation, his experience included many “small company” challenges: downsizings, bankruptcies, and strategic changes in directions. These often caused him to change jobs every 3-4 years.
Having grown fatigued with that pattern – and having nearly suffered a terrible loss in his family – Josh pivoted to teaching business for Milton High School (Massachusetts). To my ear, he has never sounded happier or more fulfilled, and he has helped me refine my own thinking and planning for my next 20 years.
It’s also obvious just how much Josh loves Amherst College, and how much his experience there continues to shape his life.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
The near-tragedy that befell Josh’s family – and the productive introspection it provoked
Why preparing for class each day is similar to stand-up comedy
The instructors and coaches who have informed Josh’s approach to teaching
Why beating Williams in basketball was one of the happiest, most memorable events in his life
Whom from the Amherst Class of 1994 Josh wants me to interview next
To reach Josh, email him at jhamermesh@gmail.com or find him on LinkedIn.
***Correction*** Our classmate Adam Bonin surfaced to let Josh and me know that covered Josh and the rest of the men’s basketball team in the ’92-93 season, not ’93-94, as Josh had remembered.
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