Three beloved Christendom professors joined Kristin Stephens, Director of Career Development, on February 26 for the spring semester’s second Life on Tap, a series of alumni interviews discussing career paths post-graduation. Alumni professors Mike Brown ’87, Dr. Hugh O’Donnell ’04, and Dr. James Bergida ’09 shared the trajectory of their graduate school and teaching journeys and offered advice to students interested in pursuing such vocations.
Professor Brown, who majored in literature, served as Christendom’s Dean of Students for 13 years and now teaches philosophy. In addition, he ran a successful catering business for over 15 years. Dr. O’Donnell, also a literature major, taught at a classical school before earning his master’s and Ph.D. at Notre Dame and becoming an assistant professor of theology. Dr. Bergida studied philosophy, earned his master’s and doctorate at Oxford, and now is a visiting assistant professor of political science.
If, as Professor Brown said, “The teaching life could be argued to be the best kind of life,” then those who wish to live it must receive the best possible education—one that forms both the mind and the soul. A Christendom education is a formation in living the good life, and the essence of a teacher’s work is to teach his students how to live the good life as well. The liberal arts give a future teacher more than mere teaching techniques and a narrow field of knowledge. They provide a foundation in philosophy and a balanced worldview on which to base their teaching, and this is fundamental, for without well-formed teachers, how are students to become well-formed people?
Furthermore, Christendom alumni have an advantage when it comes to preparation for graduate school. Dr. O’Donnell noted, “The strength of the Christendom core is that it has so much of the humanities,” following up by highlighting how critical this is for graduate work. All three professors emphasized the necessity of proficiency in academic writing, vast knowledge of sources, and experience in research for success in graduate school. Christendom undoubtedly fosters these academic habits, as students spend four years perfecting their critical thinking skills through extensive reading, intense writing, and careful analysis of everything from great literature to mathematical formulas.
Among the notable advice shared by the professors was the insight that students shouldn’t expect to move directly from undergraduate to graduate school; taking time and working in between provides an important opportunity to pause and assess one’s priorities. The three professors agreed that balancing graduate work with one’s personal and family life is challenging, but they urged students not to be discouraged by these difficult factors of graduate school, reminding them of the importance of seeking the degree for its own sake and for the sake of enriching others.
The final words of encouragement? “There’s nothing greater you can do in life than to try to bring someone to the truth,” said Professor Brown. “If it happens to be your calling, it’s a great calling.”
Christendom’s Career and Professional Development Office offers opportunities to hear from alumni at Life on Tap at least three times a semester. They also provide frequent opportunities for students interested in teaching to interact with school representatives and meet potential employers. In addition, graduate school representatives are regularly on campus to meet with students and discuss the details of their programs. The Career Office will even reimburse students taking graduate school entrance tests such as the LSAT, MCAT, and GRE, which the professors strongly recommended for graduate studies. With the support of the Career and Professional Development Office and an excellent liberal arts education, no career path is rendered impossible with a degree from Christendom.
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Contributed by Bridget Palm ’28.