The University of Chicago College is pleased to announce a new pair of Resident Deans beginning in the 2022-2023 academic year, William Nickell, associate professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures, and author Maryse Meijer. The couple will reside in Renee Granville Grossman East and will provide support and engaging programming for the students of their four Houses.
Resident Deans have a special place within the UChicago College Housing community. In collaboration with Resident Heads and Residents Assistants, Resident Deans serve as intellectual stewards of their communities and unite students across Houses through creative events, lectures, and trips throughout the city.
William Nickell joined the University of Chicago in 2011 and is chair of the Slavic Languages & Literatures Department. As a specialist in Russian literature, he is known for his work on Tolstoy and on Russian media and mass culture. Currently, Nickell is completing "The Soviet Cure," a book on medical aesthetics and medical subjectivity.
Nickell also teaches for Chicago Studies, including a course on East European immigration to Chicago and bicycle-based course, “Riding about the South Side,” focused on learning from the community through first-hand encounters. He looks forward to sharing these insights with the students of Renee Granville Grossman as Resident Dean.
Maryse Meijer is the author of four books of fiction, most recently the novel The Seventh Mansion. She received her MFA in writing from Warren Wilson College and studied Modern Literature as an undergrad at University of Santa Cruz, California. She has worked as a bookseller, housekeeper, and Argentine tango instructor, and currently she mentors writers of all ages. A fan of Chicago’s eclectic art scene, Maryse is excited to connect the students of Renee Granville Grossman with creators across all disciplines through dynamic events on and off campus.
Charlotte, their ten-year-old daughter, is practicing a form of homeschooling called “unschooling.” She loves nature, reading, and Minecraft, and she is a specialist in the history of ocean liners, mid-century modern design, and mycology.