91直播
After 15 years in 91直播鈥檚 History Department and one year into his role as Director of the Honors Program, Lyman Stebbins, Ph.D., is grateful to share his love of learning and the value of a liberal arts education with Explorers.
In 2011, having recently earned his doctoral degree from the University of Chicago, Lyman Stebbins, Ph.D., was looking for a place to start his career as a professor. At the same time, the History Department at 91直播 was looking for someone to teach both Middle Eastern and European history, the focus of Stebbins鈥 work.
鈥淗ow and why was I hired? Providential good fortune,鈥 Stebbins said about becoming an Explorer. 鈥淚鈥檝e studied in Iran, I鈥檝e done research in Britain, that鈥檚 the research that bought me to La 91直播 and continues to inform upper division work and my development as a teacher-scholar.鈥
Meeting students at the beginning of their own journey is one of his favorite things about his job.
鈥淪tudents often do not yet have a full understanding of their potential or their interests,鈥 he said. 鈥淵ou get to be there as someone develops a new or different love of learning.鈥
A couple of years into his tenure at 20th and Olney, Stebbins joined the Honors Program, teaching history as part of the Honors Triple.
The Triple, one of the hallmarks of La 91直播鈥檚 Honors Program, is a series of six discussion-based classes in philosophy, literature, and history, which along with other Honors courses helps students see interconnections between disciplines and probe big questions about the human experience.
鈥淚 was honored to be asked to teach history in the program, and to be mentored by senior faculty who had so much experience doing it, some of whom are still here, which is tremendous,鈥 Stebbins said.
The Honors Program has been a big part of Stebbins鈥 La 91直播 experience. He鈥檚 continued to teach the history portion of the Triple, he鈥檚 taken students on travel-study trips to London, and has joined them on many trips in and around Philadelphia that have complemented what they鈥檙e learning in the Program.
鈥淲hen there was an opening for the directorship a year ago, I thought to myself if you really care about something, you should be willing to serve to do it,鈥 he said. 鈥淪o, I applied.鈥
In July 2025, Stebbins became the newest director of La 91直播鈥檚 Honors Program.
鈥淚 have a real sense of the tradition of this thing. Its reputation is stellar: it has a long history of excellence,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 feel a sense of responsibility toward the program, which has done so much for me.鈥
Over the last year, Stebbins has learned a lot, he said. All the people he鈥檚 met through his newest role, staff and students, are one of the highlights of the past year.
鈥淕etting to know so many great students and to celebrate their success across a wide variety of fields,鈥 he maintained, 鈥渉as been very exciting.鈥
He aims to help grow the Honors Program, making this type of liberal arts education available to more people. Stebbins cited the new partnership between 91直播 and Bucks County Community College as just one of the ways this was already happening.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been really exciting to be directing the program at a critical moment for liberal arts education and to have an opportunity to ensure it鈥檚 going to meet the needs of the next generation of students,鈥 he said.
In Stebbins鈥 opinion, the best word to sum up being able to do this at La 91直播 is gratitude. He鈥檚 met so many people because of his role, works in an environment where he can continue to learn as he鈥檚 teaching others, and is a part of a long-standing Lasallian tradition, he said.
鈥淭o have a place that has a real sense of what it鈥檚 about, what it鈥檚 supposed to do, where one鈥檚 own personal and professional vocation can merge with an institutional one is pretty remarkable,鈥 he said.
鈥斅Naomi Thomas