Alumni Spotlight: Ryan Hauck

Ryan Hauck graduated from Western in 1992 with a major in History-Social Studies. He teaches comparative politics and international studies at Glacier Peak High School in Snohomish, Washington. He has held fellowships from the U.S. State Department and the Goethe-Institute. For the past seven years, Ryan has also worked with the World Affairs Council in Seattle as Director of the Global Classroom. Ryan's passion for global engagement has led to cooperative projects with communities and colleagues in Nigeria, Cambodia, South Africa, and Swaziland. He holds a Master’s degree from Lehigh University.  

How long have you been teaching? What still inspires you? 

I have been teaching for 29 years. Knowing that what I do can have an impact on students’ lives that may not always be evident at the time, is one of the great rewards of teaching. When former students let me know that what we did together made a difference, it inspires me to continue on. 

How did your work out Western prepare you for a life of teaching and global engagement? 

One of the things I appreciated about faculty in the History Department and Woodring was their approachability and accessibility. I learned the importance of building relationships with your students. Teaching starts with relationships. My classroom goals involve more than teaching problem solving and critical thinking. I try impress upon my students that it is important to be actively engaged citizens, locally, nationally, and globally. In so doing, I hope they also learn other values, such as empathy, so critical to the world in which we live.   

Tell us about our work with the World Affairs Council.   

I was involved for a number of years with various teaching initiatives sponsored by the WAC before being offered the position of Director of the Global Classroom seven years ago. It was such a great opportunity to step in and create programs that bring the world into the classroom. I help develop curriculum, organize speakers and virtual field trips, and work with teachers throughout the Pacific Northwest who want to help students become more globally engaged. One of the things we do is help connect students and teachers to global issues through our virtual seminars. This year, for example, we are sponsoring a program entitled “Putin: Past, Present and Future,” that will be facilitated by a journalist who has covered Russian politics for the Financial Times. We hope to help students and teachers become more globally competent and develop the skills and mindsets that encourage involvement with global issues, such as social justice and climate change.  

What is one of the coolest things that you have done in your career? 

I had an opportunity to go to Nigeria in 2005 with an NGO in Seattle and collaborate with local communities and key stakeholders interested in building a library in an isolated region, poor in educational opportunities and infrastructure (no electricity or running water) but rich in oil resources. Our work attracted the attention of a Seattle film-maker who documented our experiences in a film, Sweet Crude, that I helped produce. It played in a number of film festivals around the world and even drew the attention of local officials in Nigeria. This experience helped me maximize the many opportunities that exist for teachers to travel and created new opportunities to be involved in other community-building projects in Africa and elsewhere.   

What have you learned about teaching in the COVID era? 

It has reminded me of the importance of being flexible, focusing on what is essential, and leaning on colleagues who can be a great source of emotional support, intellectual stimulation, and new teaching strategies. You have to work hard to remain optimistic and positive. I have also enjoyed the opportunity to grow professionally by taking advantage of virtual conferences and seminars that have put me in contact with teachers around the world.