A warm CrimSL welcome to Edward Escalon, Jr., who joined CrimSL in November 2023 as Executive Assistant to the Director.
Originally from a working-class background in Southern California, Edward first came to the University of Toronto in 2016 as a PhD student in the Department for the Study of Religion (DSR). He is currently a doctoral candidate at DSR in the field of Religions of the Americas and Turtle Island. His dissertation topic is "Evangelical Christianity and street-connected youth in Tegucigalpa, Honduras."
Edward has extensive experience as a teaching assistant and course instructor and has been recognized with teaching awards from DSR and from U of T's Centre for Diaspora and Transnational Studies. He is passionate about sharing the transformative potential of the humanities with other students from underrepresented communities.
Edward earned his AB in the Comparative Study of Religion with Honors at Harvard College, and holds an MA in Theology from Union Theological Seminary. His fieldwork has been funded by the Institute for Citizens and Scholars and the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
He made the transition to university administration in the summer of 2023 working on a finance project for CrimSL.
When not at work, Edward enjoys spending time with his partner and their cat, T’challa.
Welcome, Edward!