The Graham School is proud to celebrate Jacqueline Victor as the inaugural appointment to the Katia Mitova Distinguished Instructorship. Named in honor of the beloved educator and mentor Katia Mitova, the position recognizes exceptional teaching, course innovation, and community building within the Basic Program. Jacqueline’s appointment reflects her longstanding dedication to students, interdisciplinary learning, and the collaborative spirit that defines the program.
The University of Chicago Graham School is proud to announce Jaqueline Victor as the inaugural Katia Mitova Distinguished Instructorship in the Basic Program, a meaningful milestone made possible through the generosity and dedication of the Basic Program community.
Established through a collective philanthropic effort led by devoted alumni, students, and friends of the program, the instructorship honors the enduring legacy of beloved instructor Katia Mitova, whose impact on the Graham School continues to resonate deeply.
Jacqueline will begin her appointment as the Mitova Distinguished Instructor on July 1, 2026. She was selected by a committee including Basic Program Chair, Noah Chafets, and Graham School Director of Academics, Zoë Eisenman.
Jacqueline received her Ph.D. in 2020 at the University of Chicago from the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures and taught as a UChicago Humanities Teaching Fellow from 2020 to 2022. She then joined the Basic Program Instructional Staff in 2023. Her teaching reflects the same spirit of intellectual rigor, openness, and deep care for students that Katia embodied so fully.
“I’m delighted that Jacqueline will be the first Katia Mitova distinguished instructor. Katia was a mentor to Jacqueline, which makes the appointment especially fitting. And, like Katia, Jacqueline is a widely beloved teacher and colleague in the Basic Program.” said Noah Chafets, Cyril O. Houle Chair of the Basic Program.
The newly established instructorship reflects the Basic Program’s ongoing commitment to supporting exceptional teaching, intellectual exploration, and meaningful community engagement. It also acknowledges something those within the program have long understood: much of the work that shapes transformative learning happens through preparation and mentorship.
“This position provides a stable foundation for the kinds of teaching and community building we do in the Basic Program. While instructors are most visible in the classroom, much of our work takes place behind the scenes as we prepare and create new classes; work together to govern the program and organize events; continue to develop our intellectual interests; and engage with students and colleagues in a variety of ways and settings. Graham has increasingly put support behind this kind of work, and this instructorship is part of that.” said Jacqueline Victor, Basic Program Instructor.
The instructorship provides expanded support for course development and long-term program planning, helping faculty continue to create innovative learning opportunities that connect rigorous academic inquiry with immersive educational experiences. In doing so, it invests not only in individual instructors, but in the future of the Basic Program itself.
She continues “The Katia Mitova Distinguished Instructorship was designed to include extra time for course planning, and it demonstrates an encouraging level of support and institutional recognition for the work we do. This upcoming academic year, I am excited to be teaching multiple new courses that will now have additional course development support, including a two-course sequence on Icelandic literature and a Travel Study trip to Iceland planned for September 2027. I am really gratified to represent Graham in this new role that remembers Katia and her love for the kind of teaching we do.”
Through interdisciplinary learning, close discussion, and shared intellectual exploration, the program continues to create spaces where students and instructors alike can deepen their understanding of literature, philosophy, history, and culture.
The Katia Mitova Distinguished Instructorship is a reflection of what makes the Basic Program so enduring: people who believe deeply in learning, in one another, and in the power of conversation to shape lives. Jacqueline embodies those values through her thoughtful teaching, intellectual generosity, and deep commitment to the students and colleagues who make up the Basic Program community.
We are filled with gratitude for everyone who helped make this instructorship possible, and we look forward to watching Jacqueline’s impact continue to grow for generations of Basic Program students and instructors to come.
