Described by colleague Harvey Hix as the embodiment of “joie de vivre,” Peter Parolin, English Professor and chair of the English Department, is an integral part of the UW and Laramie communities.
Hailing from outside of Vancouver, Canada, Parolin did his undergraduate studies at the University of British Columbia. He then traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to get his masters degree.
“In some ways I feel like I grew up there,” Parolin said. “I was 21, and it was a big American city that I was in for the first time, and just the diversity and the energy and the opportunities in that city I was experiencing while in graduate school were tremendously formative for me.”
Parolin was then asked to come to UW and made the move to Laramie.
“I fell in love with this place immediately,” Parolin said. “The English Department seemed a very humane place where your work would be supported and the students were good.”
Since joining the UW family 20 years ago, Parolin has taught a variety of classes in the English department, most centered around Shakespeare. For the last 15 years he has taught a summer study abroad course in England and Italy, most often with colleague Duncan Harris.
“It’s so amazing to work with students in this intensive setting,” Parolin said. “They’re seeing Shakespeare live by some of the best companies in the world, but then they’re also having this incredible international experience and oh, it’s so fun to be part of that.”
Parolin is also currently teaching a gateway course to the English major, which is designed to introduce students to the intricacies of higher level English studies. He has taught classes in the Theater and Dance Department in the past when scheduling allowed.
Teaching is central to Parolin’s work at the university, and he calls it “a joy.”
“I love the students here and I feel very alive in the classroom,” Parolin said. “Just connecting with student minds and turning people on to literature that maybe they thought was too hard for them or they weren’t interested in is a challenge that never gets old for me”
Another aspect of being a professor is conducting research. Parolin’s research is centered around renaissance English Literature and women’s performance. His Italian roots have given him a personal connection to these studies.
“English dramatists were always setting their plays in Italy, and that was always really interesting to me,” Parolin said. “My father is Italian, so I always had a cultural interest in Italy. That for me was part in parcel with an ongoing interest in cultural boundaries, maybe because I’m an immigrant myself. I find these cultural boundaries really interesting.”
In addition to his duties as a professor, Parolin is currently acting as the chair of the English Department. This involves organizing and supporting all things related to English at UW, which also leads to advocacy in the community. He is charged with helping to nurture the careers of the 40+ staff members of the English Department. Parolin said that though this job is challenging, it is also fulfilling.
“I like playing that mentoring role for people,” Parolin said.
Despite this busy schedule, Parolin makes time to nurture his passions. One of the foremost of these is his love of theater. Parolin lends his talents as an actor to both the UW Theater and Dance Department and Relative Theatrics, a local theater company.
Anne Mason, director of Relative Theatrics, said it is an honor to have Parolin involved in Relative Theatrics.
“Whether Peter is proctoring a discussion for our monthly play-reading program, sharing his voice in a post-performance chat back session, or diving head first into a challenging piece as an actor, he brings profound insight to the complex topics that RT plays present,” Mason said.
Parolin is also a passionate cook and host. He enjoys having dinner parties with colleagues and friends, and said that the importance of this form of human connection is integral to his being. During the summers he enjoys traveling to new places, especially in Europe.
Members of the UW staff see Parolin as the heart of the English department. Nina McConigley, assistant professor for the Honor Program, said that Parolin’s enthusiasm and positivity set him apart.
“I don’t know many professors who are more excited about their subject. Teaching for him isn’t a job, it’s a vocation and he is the most passionate person I know about not only his students, but the UW community,” McConigley said.
This passion has earned Parolin many awards and accolades, including the prestigious Ellbogen Award. However, Parolin continues to find even greater reward in positively impacting the lives of all those he meets.
“I have built a community here that just warms my heart, with some absolutely beautiful people who are supportive of me and whose work and lives I’m interested in,” Parolin said. “I have had some of the most terrific students. It’s just a joy.”
Julia Obert, associate professor in the English Department, said the kind and humane way in which Parolin works with students and staff is one thing that makes him “the heart and soul of the English Department.”
“I’ve never met a kinder, more generous, more genuine person,” Obert said. “Even when he’s dealing with bureaucratic frustrations, he always has time to sit down with a student or a colleague, to offer a listening ear and to work towards a smart, compassionate solution to a problem.”
Hix said that Parolin’s care, positivity and love make a profound difference at the university.
“You owe him a drink, and you should call him right now and arrange to take him for a cup of tea or a beer, and while you have that drink with him you’ll laugh and laugh,” Hix said. “Peter Parolin is joie de vivre.”
