At Convocation 2026, Dr. John Hughes joined the Covenant College faculty as the new head of the physics department, following the retirement of the former head, Dr. Phill Broussard.
Dr. Hughes joined the Covenant faculty after teaching physics at Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida for over twenty years. After working in a 45-person department at a technical school, he is very excited for this opportunity to be part of a small liberal arts program and is “looking forward to trying new things with the small college freedom.”
Dr Hughes’ journey with physics began his senior year of high school. He took one class and was so fascinated that he has not stopped doing physics since. He earned his Bachelor of Science in engineering physics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and went on to earn his doctorate in physics at Dartmouth College, conducting research in fascinating locations such as Greenland and the South Pole.
Considering the support and encouragement he received from his professors and mentors, he said: “Who you hang around has a huge impact on what you are going to do, so hang around people who are doing what you want to do.”
While he enjoyed his research, he decided to focus on teaching, believing it is more significant than his specialized projects. With twenty years of teaching experience under his belt, he has had plenty of time to develop his teaching style.
“I used to be insistent on students learning everything the right way, very rigid. Now, I understand that learning is a lifelong process. I am more concerned with students seeing what is interesting and exciting.”
Dr. Hughes firmly believes that we all have gifts and skills that Christ has given us, and for some of us, those include the natural sciences. Stewarding these well is essential, which is why he is thrilled to be joining our mission here at Covenant College:
“My daughter, Emily, came to Covenant for a summer camp, and I fell in love with the school. I have been looking for job openings on and off for the past five years.”
Dr. Hughes and his family moved to the area from Florida in June. His wife, Christine, homeschools his sons, Samuel and Stephen, and his daughters Emily, ’ 27 and Charlotte ’ 30, are both studying at Covenant.
Besides studying physics, Dr. Hughes enjoys reading Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings and working with his hands, whether that be gardening or woodturning. You can see his handiwork if you ever visit his office. He is also a fountain pen enthusiast and would love to engage with similarly inclined students.
If you enjoy talking about sports, specifically basketball, don’t be afraid to stop by the physics department and have a chat.