We are thrilled to welcome Erin Haas Verham (UVa ‘16 & ‘17) to join us in a new, full time role to champion, organize and communicate the expanding work of Theological Horizons. Meet Erin!
Tell us a bit about your background.
I’m from Chesterfield, Virginia. I majored in Spanish Literature and Culture and got my Master’s in Teaching at UVa. I have family from Charlottesville, and we’d come to town for holidays, birthday parties, and sleepovers with my cousins. Charlottesville has always felt like a second hometown, so when I graduated, I decided to stick around. I’ve lived here for ten years now, and I love it!
What drew you to Theological Horizons?
Before TH, I hadn’t had much exposure to Christianity beyond the denomination of my upbringing, so I loved that TH introduced me to so many different strains of Christian thought and practice. At Vintage lunches, Karen read stories about people like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Henri Nouwen, and John Perkins, among others, which left a lasting impression on me as I sought to understand how a good God could be present in such an unjust world. The Bonhoeffer House was a safe environment for asking difficult questions alongside others who welcomed the discourse, and this was very meaningful to me as a student.
I went straight into teaching after college, and five years later, I found myself burned out and hopeful for a change. When I saw the job listing for this position, I jumped at the chance to transition careers, especially with an organization that I held so dear. One thing led to another, and here I am!
What's your role at TH, and what are some hopes you have within it?
My title is the Engagement and Communications manager. I’ll have a role in a little bit of everything, keeping tabs on everyone so that things run smoothly. I’ll oversee the financials, tracking donations and managing the budget, in addition to filling some HR functions and coordinating staff and board meetings. I’m excited to get to know students at Vintage and through our intern partnerships. I hope to see ways in which my background in education will lend itself to my new responsibilities here.
What was the best class you took at UVa?
Definitely Introduction to Theater. We learned about different genres of theater and our assignments were performing our own interpretations of famous plays for the class. Our final exam was to create an original play from start to finish and then perform it for the class. The class gave me the opportunity to attend some really unforgettable plays and take an improv workshop taught by a troupe of clowns!
I often tried to incorporate what I learned from this class into my teaching; I loved using backdrops, costumes, props, sound effects, and actors to bring Spanish literature alive for my students. I’m also obsessed with Bravo reality shows, especially Real Housewives of New York and New Jersey, so for my 27th birthday, I wrote a Real Housewives-inspired play that I made my friends all dress up and perform together. I made a theme song complete with our faces morphed onto real video footage from the show, photoshopped my friends and I onto Housewives’ cast photos, created virtual backdrops with scenes from cast members’ real homes, etc. My friends even put together a Housewives-themed menu… we all went totally overboard, and it was the best. I loved the drama of it all. So of all the great classes I got to take at UVa, I’d say Intro to Theater has had the most lasting impact, hands down.