Intellect. Humor. Care. Called the “most important teacher I’ve ever had,” Eve Goldenberg, known to students as Ms. Goldenberg, has been a powerful member of the English department for the past decade, permanently altering the way her students and colleagues think and learn. This June, the Milton community wishes her well as she moves to Washington, D.C.
Ms. Goldenberg joined the English department in 2015, where she taught Class I and II students and worked in Hallowell House. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Barnard College and her master’s degree from New York University. Ms. Goldenberg has spent her career at independent schools, having previously taught at Phillips Exeter Academy and Deerfield Academy. Ms. Goldenberg departs Milton after spending this past academic year on sabbatical.
Students and faculty have deep respect for both Ms. Goldenberg’s intellect and care. Max Weil ’28 reflected that Ms. Goldenberg is “a wonderful person to learn from,” and praised her potent “ability to connect personally with [her] students.” Char Mone ’25 noted that “Ms. G. permanently changed the way [she thinks].” Mone added that Ms. Goldenberg has “razor-sharp insight, a dry sense of humor, and fierce support.” These factors earned Ms. Goldenberg “the most respect” in Mone’s mind.
Chair of the English Department Nicole Colson noted that Ms. Goldenberg “approaches the teaching of literature as a real scholar” while allowing her students to be “scholars of the literature” as well. Colson praised Ms. Goldenberg as a "generous colleague" and an “incredible baker.” Ms. Goldenberg baked cookies every Wednesday for her advisees, and her walk to her fourth-floor classroom in Warren always included a third-floor detour to leave a cookie on English teacher Malinda Polk’s table. And Polk certainly wasn’t the only one to receive this treat every Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.
English teacher Jessica Bond described Ms. Goldenberg as an "intellectual powerhouse,” and a teacher who consistently expected her students to “carry the full weight of the discussion.” Polk recalled that on one Parents’ Weekend, Ms. Goldenberg had arrived at her classroom and found the students fully engaged in an independent Harkness discussion. Ms. Goldenberg leaves a tangible influence on the English Department, due to both her teaching prowess and her profound care for her students.
Through both the English department and the broader Milton community, Ms. Goldenberg leaves a resounding presence. Whether leading a Harkness discussion, offering incisive literary insight, or maintaining a high bar for her students, Ms. Goldenberg allowed those around her to think more deeply and hold themselves to a higher standard. Ms. Goldenberg’s influence in the classroom and across the school will resonate long after her departure.