For the 2026–27 academic year, Colby College has been joined by eight full-time professors with roles across the arts (dance, theater, performance), anthropology, classics, economics, psychology, mathematics, physics, astronomy, and biology disciplines.
One new member of the College is Assistant Professor Effie Karfaki, who joined the Economics Department this fall. When asked about her adjustment to the College so far, Karfaki mentioned how Colby helped integrate new faculty members into the College’s community through the New Faculty Orientation, a two-day event for new professors to meet one another and other members of their department.
Karfaki said, “It was so nice to get to know each other, socialize, and learn about Colby together, especially since we were all new and going through the same experience! Later in the event, we also got to meet faculty from other departments who had already been at Colby for a while. I really enjoyed that because I got to meet so many more people, and everyone was so welcoming!”
Alongside the New Faculty Orientation, Colby organizes “early-career faculty events,” which, in Karfaki’s words, help new members “meet other professors, hear about their experiences, and have the chance to chat in a more informal setting.”
In addition to these eight new professors, many other visiting professors continue to grow Colby’s 2026–27 faculty community, including Nick Funnell of the Environmental Studies Department.
Funnell commented on his transition to campus. He specifically highlighted support from Associate Professor and Chair of Environmental Studies Justin Becknell, who helped him through the hiring process. Funnell cited examples of other faculty members like Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Environmental Studies Alison Bates and Elizabeth and Lee Ainslie Professor of Environmental Studies Philip Nyhus checking in with him regularly, and Senior Lab InstructorAbby Pearson leading his classes on walks around campus “to talk about historic land use and environmental change.” He also expressed gratitude for Assistant Professor Cait Cleaver, whom he is filling for this year, and summarized his experience: “I feel very fortunate that my first faculty job is in such a kind department.”
Funnell also commented on his integration and support from other new Colby faculty. He talks about how a fellow visiting assistant professor, Amanda Gavin, “has been a lifeline. We compare notes and talk through the experiences of being new.”
Another resource at the new faculty’s disposal is Dean of Faculty and Professor of History John Turner. Turner became Colby’s first-ever standalone Dean of Faculty in 2025 after over 20 years at the College, during which he served as chair of the History Department, Associate Director of the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs, professor of history, and a member of multiple committees.
In “New Faculty Members Join the Colby Community,” written by Laura Meader and published by Colby News, John Turner describes how he wants to equip the faculty to succeed.
Karfaki’s experience echoes Turner’s welcoming sentiments as Karfaki described her encounters with Turner: “I met John during the New Faculty Orientation, and my experience interacting with him has been wonderful! He is very welcoming, friendly, and supportive of new faculty, and I really appreciated the guidance and advice he shared with us as we were starting at Colby.”
Funnell similarly speaks on Turner’s role in his transitional period as a new faculty member, noting, “He spoke at new faculty orientation, and I’ve read his emails. I don’t know him personally, but he seems thoughtful and kind.”
Although Funnell is a visiting assistant professor, he is not treated differently from tenure-track faculty. “Even though I am a one-year Visiting Assistant Professor, the faculty and staff have all treated me as a peer, which means a lot,” he said.
Whether as a one-year visiting professor or as a full-time new professor, through resources such as department support and New Faculty Orientation, Colby continues to facilitate an environment for the success of their faculty and, in turn, their students.
~ Evelyn Kunde `30
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