When Assistant Professor of English Christina Lambert, ’16 received an email about a job opening in the English department at Hillsdale, she had another two years to go before finishing her dissertation at Baylor University. 

But after receiving that email from Professor of History Richard Gamble, Lambert finished her dissertation in a year, defended her thesis in June, graduated in August, and moved to Hillsdale to teach at her alma mater. 

“I was super thrilled when the job posting came up and I decided to throw my hat in the ring,” Lambert said. “The nice thing about writing the dissertation quickly is that there is a lot of energy left in me for this project.” 

Gamble said in an email he’s known Lambert and her family for many years. 

“As soon as I saw the job opening, I messaged Dr. Lambert,” Gamble said. “I knew she would be a perfect fit for the college and the college would be a perfect fit for her. She’s a star.” 

Lambert said her dissertation focused on eucharistic food imagery in the poetic and dramatic  works of T.S. Eliot and Denise Levertov. 

“The idea was that they both come from high church liturgical, sacramental traditions,” Lambert said. “They both have a lot of food all over their poetry and drama, and it started out as a project just looking at the food and wondering how it functioned.” 

Lambert said the subject of food lies at the heart of her two research interests: creation and theology of the body. 

“As I read through these two poets, food had specific uses beyond its material uses that are really important,” Lambert said. “But I also thought, ‘Wow, it also has spiritual significance in their poetry — it builds communities, it transforms people,’ and I realized they were drawing on this eucharistic idea of food which is both spiritual and physical.” 

Lambert said working with professors who have become colleagues is a gift. 

“It’s really wonderful to work alongside such great minds,” Lambert said.

With the recent retirement of two professors who specialized in American literature, the English department was looking for a fifth professor specializing in American literature, according to Chair of the English Department Justin Jackson. 

“The administration listened to what we needed, and they gave us a position to hire, and that was that fifth position,” Jackson said. “An expansion means that they have to open up a whole new line, and that’s a big financial burden.” 

Jackson said the department received approximately a 100 applications for the job opening, but Lambert’s application stood out. 

“When we hire, the only thing we think about is ‘are they good teachers,’ and ‘what does this place look like when I retire?’” Jackson said. 

Jackson said because the department teaches three core courses every semester, it has to hire teachers who can teach both specialized and generalized classes. 

“There are very few young people who can step into a job and do it well, and Doctor Lambert can do that,” Jackson said. 

This semester, Lambert is teaching English 370: Civil War to the Present Area and English 105: Great Books II.

Senior Tomek Ignatik said he enjoys the class discussions in English 370, which make up a heavy portion of Lambert’s teaching style. 

“There was one day where it was T.S. Eliot’s birthday, and we had scones and tea,” Ignatik said. “That was fun. Doctor Lambert is very fun and enthusiastic.”

Jackson said while Lambert’s familiarity with the college’s mission helps her as a teacher to fulfill her job, her best asset is her ability to be present to both students and faculty alike. 

“Doctor Lambert looks you in the eyes, she talks, she nods,” Jackson said. “She’s very present, and I think that’s the greatest gift in the world.”