Courtney Marshall
![Courtney Marshall in her classroom.](https://www.exeter.edu/sites/default/files/styles/standard_inline_image_730_x_auto/public/news/BUL-Courtney-Marshall.jpg?itok=iBSBv_a-)
"It’s our job and our joy to be able to connect and support [students] and advocate for them."
Whether it’s casually chatting about an afternoon Zumba class or diving deep into the racialized history of physical fitness, English Instructor Courtney Marshall knows how to get the conversation going. Sometimes, she says, all it takes for students to find the gift of gab is a Barbie. “Toys, having things to do with their hands, really work to get ideas out there.” Along with her ever-growing collection of dolls, Marshall brings a depth of experience to every dialogue. She holds a doctorate in English and a graduate certificate in women’s studies from UCLA. Prior to joining Exeter’s faculty in 2016, she taught for six years at the University of New Hampshire. An active advocate for the incarcerated, Marshall also leads literacy groups for prisoners at the Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility.
This year, the Kirtland House dorm head is taking on an additional role: associate dean of advising. “I love advising,” Marshall says. “People entrust their pride and joy with us, and it’s our job and our joy to be able to connect and support them and advocate for them, in addition to their families.”
Here’s a peek at a few of the icebreakers inside Marshall’s Phillips Hall classroom.