Familiar faces, new spaces

Three pillars of the Exeter faculty have shifted into new leadership roles on campus, bringing with them a collective half-century of service to the Academy.

Eimer Page, Dean of Faculty

Page began her Exeter career as an instructor in English in 2004 and served as the director of Global Initiatives since the program’s inception in 2012. She started a five-year term as dean of faculty on July 1. Her vision, strong organization and risk management skills, and collaboration across campus departments and with other schools and organizations have resulted in the growth of Global Initiatives to its current offerings of 17 term programs and up to 20 additional travel programs for our students across five continents. Over the years, Page has also served on numerous campus committees, including Appointments and Leaves. She was dorm head in Dunbar Hall from 2008 to 2013 and has been recognized for her accomplishments, both inside and outside the classroom, with the Charles E. Ryberg ’63 Teaching Award, the William Lambert ’45 Dormitory Adviser Award and the George S. Heyer Jr. ’48 Teaching Award.

Jeff Ward, Director of Exeter Summer

Ward brings much experience to his new position, having served as an instructor, dean and, most recently, interim director of the Exeter Summer program. Ward has also taught in the Department of Chemistry at Exeter since 2004, was dorm head at Knight House for 10 years, has served on several faculty committees and has been an Admissions reader. He also hosts his own weekly radio show on Exeter’s WPEA. Ward has received the William Lambert ’45 Dormitory Adviser Award and the Brown Family Faculty Fund Teaching Award.

Patricia Burke Hickey, Director of Global Initiatives

Burke Hickey embarked on her latest experience at the Academy as the new director of Global Initiatives on July 1. Burke Hickey has been an instructor in English at Exeter since 1996, full time in that role since 2013. She has also served on several committees and working groups over the years, and was dorm head in Langdell Hall and an affiliate in Amen Hall and Gould House. Burke Hickey has also coached junior varsity/varsity cycling and has been an Admissions interviewer. She has been involved in Exeter’s Global Initiatives program, including chaperoning a Chinese co-learning student trip to study urban migration in March 2014, and a March break student trip to South Africa in 2018. Prior to joining Exeter, Burke Hickey taught at the American International School in Vienna, Austria, and while at the Colorado Rocky Mountain School, she led alpine and desert trips with students and volunteered with mountain rescue. While traveling, Burke Hickey has led workshops for students on facilitating discussions about cultural differences. She has received the William Lambert ’45 Dormitory Adviser Award and the Brown Family Faculty Fund Teaching Award.

Editor’s note: This story first appeared in the summer 2022 issue of The Exeter Bulletin.

Eimer Page, Dean of Faculty

Jeff Ward, Director of Exeter Summer

Patricia Burke Hickey, Director of Global Initiatives

Exeter People