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March 1, 2023
New Saint Andrews College welcomes Dr. Daniel Orton to the faculty for fall 2023. Dr. Orton will be teaching Medieval Literature and Languages. He earned his D. Phil at the University of Oxford in 2020 where he has also taught. Dr. Orton is moving all the way from England to teach at NSA.
Dr. Orton has won a number of honors and awards including the Clarendon Scholarship award, one of Oxford’s most prestigious awards.
In a brief interview, Dr. Orton said he appreciated NSA’s unique vision. “It is an exciting opportunity to be able to participate in and contribute to its educational mission.”
Dr. Orton is the Treasurer and Membership Secretary for the Early English Text Society. This society was founded in 1864 and has been a key source for studying Middle English and Old English texts, including Pearl, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and others.
When asked what he sees as a key issue in teaching Medieval Literature and Languages, Dr. Orton said, “There are very high entry barriers for students of the subject. The field is expansive. It covers almost a thousand years of intellectual and literary history across half a dozen different languages in print and manuscript.”
“I would hope that I bring a passion and enthusiasm for the subject.” He also said he wants to instill in classes the “desire and skills to make the subject accessible.”
Dr. Orton is married and they have one son. When asked how much Anglo-Saxon he has taught his family, Dr. Orton said his family has been a bit resistant, adding, “Though to be fair to my son, his vocabulary is currently limited to ‘da’ and pointing.”
The NSA Faculty have an annual croquet competition hosted by President Merkle. When asked how he would fare in the competition, Dr. Orton said, “Very highly. I will turn the croquet court into a graveyard for my enemies.”
Dr. Daniel Orton has presented and published on a range of medieval topics including Roger Bacon and King Alfred’s Psalms.
Welcome to NSA, Dr. Orton!
