As students returned to classes, some may have noticed that a few professors are no longer walking around campus. Instead, these professors may be on sabbatical, personal leave or have found a new job to pursue.
Kaori Kenmotsu, a professor of dance and the artistic director of the Hamline University Dance Ensemble, is one such professor. She has taken a break from teaching both in the classroom and on stage in order to pursue other passions.
“The purpose of my sabbatical was really to do a deeper dive into my research. My area of research has always been performance, and this time around, I’m really interested in doing some work with conflict resolution and conflict negotiation.” Kenmotsu said. And after passing the bar exam last year, Kenmotsu has worked closely with the non-profit organization World Without Genocide.
“World Without Genocide works to protect innocent people around the world; prevent genocide by combating racism and prejudice; advocate for the prosecution of perpetrators; and remember those whose lives and cultures have been destroyed by violence.” reads the organization’s mission statement.
However, her time away from Hamline has not only been an opportunity to explore other interests—it’s been a time to heal.
“When COVID-19 happened, it completely upended everything that I taught…and it really took a toll on me, both as an artist and an educator. Now I’m using this time to work through that,” Kenmotsu said. Professor Kenmotsu is expected to make a return to Hamline in spring of 2024.
Another professor that students might be missing this semester is Davu Seru. Although no longer at Hamline, Seru worked as a professor in the English department. He can now be found working at the Archie Givens Sr. Collection of African American Literature and Life at the University of Minnesota.
“I head an archive of over 10,000 objects documenting African American and African diasporic presence in the world,” said Seru. Although he is the sole head of this collection, his work is far from solitary.
“I’m in my third week now, of being there, I’m realizing just how important the role is to the local, not only local African American community, you know, I’ve heard a lot from elders in the community about how happy they are that I am there, in that position,” Seru said.
Despite Seru’s new position at the University of Minnesota, he still has a soft spot for Hamline.
“It was hard for me to leave Hamline. I have deep loyalty to Hamline. As a former undergrad and someone who taught there since 2011…this opportunity came and I decided to look.”
Davu is not expected to return to Hamline full time, but will be returning as a guest speaker for Mike Reynolds’ How to Blow Up a City course on Oct. 25.