Meet the Principal II

The Ventura County Star has published a profile of Brenna Scanlon (’06), the 27-year-old Thomas Aquinas College alumna who is the principal of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish School in Oxnard, Calif. The story describes Miss Scanlon’s love of lifelong learning, her desire to put Christ at the heart of her school’s curriculum, and her decision to start studying Spanish so that she can better communicate with her students’ families. It also includes this account of her college experience:

Scanlon graduated from La Reina High School in 2002. She was looking for a traditional Catholic university when her mother suggested she consider Thomas Aquinas College near Santa Paula, where students follow the Great Books program.

“We used the Socratic method, where knowledge is not professed by a teacher,” Scanlon said. “It kind of awakened in me that I love learning to please myself not for straight A’s or SAT scores or status among my peers.”

For more about Miss Scanlon, her background, and the good work she does as an elementary-school principal, see this alumni profile, which originally appeared in the Spring 2011 edition of the College Newsletter.

N.B.: The same day’s issue of the Star also featured a brief item about the College’s perfect rating from the American Council of College Trustees and Alumni.