University of South Florida faculty member Holly Donahue Singh began teaching at the Judy Genshaft Honors College in 2017, followed by her husband, Deepak Singh, in 2020. Together, they bring two lifetimes’ worth of knowledge, global experience, and creativity to share with Honors students.
Holly Singh earned her bachelor’s degree in religious studies from Kenyon College,
followed by a master’s degree and PhD in anthropology from the University of Virginia.
She studied abroad in India as an undergraduate — an experience that inspired her
to return to the country on a Fulbright research grant. Her research brought her to
the city of Lucknow in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, where she and Deepak Singh
met — fittingly — in a library.
Deepak Singh earned a bachelor’s of commerce from the University of Lucknow and an
MBA from the Jaipuria Institute of Management. Disenchanted with the corporate world,
he taught economics and English before being hired as a writer for BBC radio. After
immigrating to the United States in 2003, he continued writing for radio as well as
print publications such as NPR, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, and the Atlantic.
He published two books chronicling his journey from North India to America and in
2018, earned an MFA in creative writing from Boston University.
Blending Disciplines in the Classroom
As a full-time professor of instruction, Holly Singh teaches a wide variety of courses
in the Honors College. From the freshman seminar Acquisition of Knowledge to her capstone
course, Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice, Holly Singh gets a front row seat
to student growth as she guides Honors students through their first and final semesters.
“It’s very rewarding to have that continuity with students,” she said. “To see their
full trajectory in Honors and sometimes even after they graduate. I get to see students
develop, and it’s great to know I have a part in that.”
Teaching multiple courses every semester also enables her to draw inspiration from
multiple student groups.
“There’s a cross-fertilization that sometimes happens between my classes,” said Holly
Singh. “Insights from one can feed into another, whether that comes from me as the
instructor or from some of my students who take more than one of my classes.”
Holly Singh describes her field, anthropology, as an eclectic blend of many others.
“I study culture, human life, health, and illness, and so many things intersect with
those: history, literature, social frameworks, epidemiology, art, and music.”
In her classes, she fuses topics and techniques from these diverse fields to create
an interdisciplinary experience for students.
“What I really appreciate about teaching at Honors is that we have the freedom to
be creative and to try out different activities and assignments. There’s a spontaneity
that’s possible,” said Holly Singh. “My students and I can use the Honors art studio
for a project or take a trip to the Contemporary Art Museum on campus.”
Holly Singh balances these creative methods with sociocultural inquiry in her courses,
which are centered around issues in medicine and global health.
“Bringing health-focused students into the social sciences and humanities is my perpetual
challenge and opportunity,” she said. “I want to shape them into better future practitioners,
but also more complete human beings.”
Building a Reflective Pedagogy
Deepak Singh’s courses guide students to understand human life through fiction. Whether students are writing personal memoirs or reading novels and short stories, Deepak Singh encourages them to use the texts as mirrors of themselves.
“In my classroom, I have to create the right conditions for students to be human,
to be vulnerable with stories, and to listen to each other and themselves,” he said.
“My goal is to engage students in healthy emotional conversation. We read academic
texts not to intellectualize them, but to feel them.”
As an immigrant, he brings a unique perspective on America into the classroom.
“I have always been fascinated by American stories,” he said, “including the ones
we might consider ‘difficult.’ I like that I can teach students more about their own
country, especially young students who may not have had a chance to leave Tampa yet.”
When asked what he enjoys about Honors teaching, Deepak Singh emphasized the small
class sizes, diversity of student backgrounds and majors, and the ability to inspire
students with his passion for literature.
“I get to do what I love with Honors students — we read texts and explore their meaning together. I am always excited when I find new short stories because I know I can bring them into class to share with my students.”
Creating Classrooms with Impact
Holly and Deepak Singh often discuss their course activities and plans with each other
at home. Sometimes, even their daughter weighs in on the conversation.
Though their courses are very different, the Singhs’ teaching philosophies are complementary.
Where Holly Singh broadens students’ worldviews across different academic fields and
global regions, Deepak Singh deepens students’ self-knowledge through reading, writing,
and reflection.
Together, they encourage students to personalize their Honors academic journey by
making space for students to broaden their horizons and discover new aspects of their
selves.