Getting to Know 2018 gcLi Graduate Scholar – Rishi Raghunathan
Rishi Raghunathan, LL’15, History Teacher, University School of Milwaukee
Who are your favorite writers?
Here are five books that still linger in my consciousness: Colson Whitehead’s “Underground Railroad”, Mohsin Ahmed’s “Diary of a Reluctant Fundamentalist”, Ta-Nehisi Coates “Between the World and Me”, Jessica Lahey’s “Gift of Failure” and J.D Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy”.
Who are your heroes in real life?
My hero is my wife. She is loving, strong, courageous, a risk taker and a compassionate human being. She inspires me to be the best version of myself.
Who or What motivated you to become an educator?
Schools are places of hope, promise and growth. The responsibility of creating these spaces for my students and colleagues motivated me to become an educator.
What is your idea of happiness?
The ability to exist in the moment without thinking of what comes next and finding peace in going with the flow.
In a nutshell what is your definition of leadership?
This quote by Dr. Joanne Ciulla sums it up. “Leadership is not a person or a position. It is a complex moral relationship between people, based on trust, obligation, commitment, emotion, and a shared vision of the good.”
What would you change about cell phones in schools?
Schools and parents need to do a better job of modeling healthy relationships with our phones. Banning phones is not the answer but explaining why and reinforcing healthy habits around the use of technology.
What do you most value in your friends?
I value my friends who love me, give me honest feedback, laugh with me, and push me outside my comfort zone.
What do you do for self-renewal?
My micro self-renewals are rituals of shared laughter and silliness. Sharing dad jokes, dressing up as a banana and not taking myself seriously helps lift the mood. My macro self-renewals are making art, listening to music, exploring nature with my children and date night with my wife.
Who is your hero/heroine of fiction?
Rocky Balboa, Ellen Ripley, and Marty McFly. Resilient, tough and humorous characters.
What is your current state of mind?
This has been a challenging and rewarding year for me. Despite the ups and downs, I feel confident navigating through uncertainty supported by my family and friends.
Rishi Raghunathan teaches Upper School African & Asian History at The University School of Milwaukee, where he has worked since 2001. He is a 2015 graduate of the gcLi Leadership Lab, and is serving as a gcLi graduate scholar in 2018 in recognition for his outstanding work cultivating leadership in students. Rishi is an active teacher-leader, serving as an advisor to the Class of 2019, a co-advisor of the Upper School Gay-Straight Alliance as well as the Asian-Heritage Affinity Group. He also serves as a trustee on the Independent School Association of Central States (ISACS) Board of Trustees and is the co-chair the ISACS Equity and Justice Committee. Finally, he is proud to be the The University School’s unofficial mascot, Banana Man.