I remember when I first met Dr. Wiesel I couldn’t look him in the eye. I had the distinct feeling that if I did, he’d be able to see my soul and the kind of person I was. At that time I wasn’t sure I wanted him to see. After a few weeks, I got the courage to look at him, to speak to and with him, and it was the single most transformative experience of my life. Dr. Wiesel had the most calming presence; all the hours I spent in his company felt like morning coffee with a close friend, not a high-stress, reading-intensive college course with an intimidating stranger. We talked about matters of the heart, matters of the world, about being individuals and citizens of the world. During one class reading, I shared that something had made me feel particularly sad. He said to me, “It wasn’t my intention to make you feel sad, only deeper.” He taught me something crucial in that moment, something I have carried with me into all my relationships and into my career as a therapist. This was the most important lesson I learned in all of my higher education. More than anything, what I would like to say to Dr. Wiesel is thank you. Thank you for teaching me how to think harder and feel deeper.
—Katie Pfeiffer ’10
