Meet a Colleague: Wendy Castenell Wendy Castenell is an assistant professor of art history.

W&L News Office
November 4, 2026

Q. How long have you worked at W&L?
Technically, this is the start of my fifth year, but I had a fellowship at the Newberry Library in my first year, which makes this the start of my fourth year on campus.

Q. Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in New Orleans in an Afro-Creole family that traces its history in the city back to the 18th century. It’s my favorite place on earth and is central to my cultural identity. Anyone who knows me can tell you that I never shut up about it!

Q. What three words describe you best?
Passionate, stubborn and optimistic.

Q. Name one person from history you would like to spend a day with and why.
It depends on whether you’re referring to an historical figure, or anyone from the past. If the former, it would be Dr. Louis Charles Roudanez, a New Orleans free man of color who was one of the architects of Reconstruction. He was a medical doctor, an activist and was the editor and benefactor of the first daily Black newspaper in the U.S., La Tribune de la Nouvelle-Orléans / The New Orleans Tribune. I would love to talk to him about his life, his politics and his strength of will at such a tumultuous time in U.S. history. However, if I could speak to someone from my past, it would be my paternal grandmother, Gloria Barjon Castenell. She died when I was five, but I have vivid memories of her. I look like her, have been told we have similar personalities, and I was very close with her as a small child. Since I was so young when she passed, I never got to hear her stories first-hand and I would love to be able to get to know her as an adult.

Q. What is your biggest pet peeve?
I have so many! I have misophonia, so my biggest is probably beeps and noises like trucks backing up or phone notifications. I also despise the way that people across this region seem to persistently drive five miles below the speed limit. Why do they do that, and can they move out of my way? I also hate a loud and obnoxious overhead light. As I’m writing this, I keep thinking of new ones, so I’ll end it here. Suffice it to say, I have what my family refer to as “bad nerves,” and I’m usually annoyed by something or another. Maturity has allowed me to let most things go. But not the noises and slow drivers!

Q. What do you like to do away from work?
So many things! I love reading, especially contemporary romance novels, and I even co-lead a book club. I love going to the movies, watching television, and generally keeping up with the pop culture zeitgeist. I have a slight (read: severe) TikTok addiction. I started taking reformer pilates classes a few months ago and I’m obsessed. I love traveling, spending time with my family, and my pets — I have two cats and two dogs.

Q. What is your least favorite chore at home?
All of them! I hate cleaning, cooking, making groceries or anything similar. Obviously, these things must get done, but I’ll always complain about it.

Q. What is your favorite family holiday tradition?
Perhaps predictably, my favorite holiday is Mardi Gras. My mom is number nine of 13 siblings, and while many of them have left New Orleans, most of my aunts, uncles and cousins return for Mardi Gras and it becomes a huge family reunion. We all go to as many of the parades as we can, especially in the week before Mardi Gras, often followed by several Carnival balls. On Lundi Gras, we all dress in costumes related to a theme that my aunts select each year and go down to the celebrations on the river. On Mardi Gras day, my uncles go to St. Charles Avenue to stake out a spot for the family on the neutral ground (what y’all call the median), erect a tent and set up a grill. We all gather there before 8 a.m. for the parades. Mardi Gras is intense and exhausting with very late nights, very early mornings, miles of walking everyday and hours of standing and dancing. But I love being surrounded by family and being immersed in New Orleans’ unique and beautiful culture.

Q. What is the most adventurous thing that you have ever done?
This might not sound adventurous to some, but to me, it was terrifying and completely out of my comfort zone. I studied abroad for eight months in Paris when I was in grad school. At that point, I’d barely been out of New Orleans, and certainly never that far from family. My French was mediocre at best. I was extremely shy and introverted as well, and mostly had the same lifelong friends. But I went despite fears, learned French, made some great new friends, traveled all over Europe, came out of my shell and had one of the best experiences of my life.

Q. What is your all-time favorite food or food dish?
It’s a toss-up between my mom’s or brother’s filé gumbo or really spicy boiled crawfish from a seafood shop in New Orleans.

Q. What is your all-time favorite book?
I don’t know that I have one at the moment. My most repeatedly read book is “The Feast of All Saints” by Anne Rice, which I read 16 times, and wrote a screenplay adaptation that was later signed by Anne Rice, but lost in Katrina.

Q. If you could choose one series to binge-watch, what would it be?
That’s easy, “Frasier!” It’s my favorite sitcom, always makes me laugh and never gets old. I’m constantly cycling through those seasons.

Q. What song or artist could you play on repeat?
I go through phases with music. Radiohead is my favorite band, and I never tire of listening to them. Currently, I’m having a George Michael moment.

Q. Tell us something most people don’t know about you.
I’m a descendant of Marie Laveau, the famous 19th century New Orleans voodooienne.