Brief Biography:
Born and raised in Akron, OH, Máire received her bachelor's degree in English from Hillsdale College in 2022. Her change in major from Biology to English piqued her interest in education. Although during her time as an undergraduate, Máire only took a single, one-credit education course, she decided to set out for the uncharted territory of being a classroom teacher. After graduation, she moved to Naples, Florida, where she spent two years teaching 6th, 7th, and 11th grade literature at Naples Classical Academy. While at NCA, Máire witnessed the impact of a classical education on young minds, seeing firsthand the capability of middle and high school students alike to rise to challenges with inquisitiveness and joy. Being in the classroom instilled in her a profound passion for teaching and a desire to further her own understanding of the beauty of a classical education.
Research Interests:
Tolstoy's War and Peace and short stories, Chekhov short stories, Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov, middle school and high school literature (both poetry and prose) within the Hillsdale K-12 curriculum.
Recent Professional Developments (Publications, Conferences, Fellowships, Internships/Employment):
Post-Graduation Plans:
I hope to return to the classroom at a Barney Charter school to continue teaching literature to middle and/or high school students.
What Brought You to Hillsdale?
Attending Hillsdale for undergrad gifted me with an appreciation for an education in the liberal arts, an education I was then able to share with my own students in Florida. During my time as a teacher, I was blessed to be surrounded by colleagues whose love for their subjects flourished not only within their classrooms but also outside of them in conversations with other teachers. Such conversations, combined with the inspiration I felt after attending conferences on education, cultivated a desire in me to learn more. This desire to learn more, combined with discernment through prayer, led me back to Hillsdale.
What Has Been the Thing You’ve Appreciated Most About Your Time Here?
I struggled with the introductory philosophy class I took during undergrad, having a difficult time comprehending the majority of what I was reading. As such, I was apprehensive at the start of the program, knowing I would take not one but two philosophy classes in the first year. However, the philosophy classes on education have been more illuminating and enjoyable than I ever anticipated. I am greatly appreciative of how much they have reformed how I think about teaching, and I am excited to take all I have learned from these classes with me to wherever I go after completing the program.