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A Life of Service: Jody Patterson '95
“I don’t like being the center of attention,” Nerinx Hall’s Associate Athletic Director Jody Patterson ’95 said as she walked in for an interview.
“Those are precisely the people we aim to highlight at Nerinx,” was the response. For Jody, a lifelong career as an educator and coach is what it means to live a life of service. Those who spend time with her or have experienced her leadership first-hand know how true that is — and how she does so with the utmost grace and humility. “Coach Jody is so passionate about bringing out the best in everyone and cares so much about each and every player on her team,” said Leah Sigmund ’22 who serves as field hockey co-captain this year. “She has made it a goal of hers to check up on all of us about our physical and mental health. Coach Jody is always looking out for us, whether that be as a coach on the field or a teacher in the halls!”
An alumna of the Class of ‘95, Jody credits her time as a Nerinx student with instilling the values of leadership and service. And now, she’s living out her desire to pass those same values along to others.
“You come back to teach here because you believe in the mission of the school,” she said. “The Loretto values align with my personal values, so it’s easy to come to work and say that we are going to fight for justice and respect. You can grab on to those values pretty easily and tie it in to anything you are teaching.”
Twenty years into her time at Nerinx, Jody has made incredible strides to do just that. During her tenure, she has taught health and P.E., coached field hockey, swimming, and lacrosse; and served as moderator for several different classes. The energy and poise with which she does so is certainly palpable. Alumna Abby Hodges ’20 agrees.
“Jody has shown me the importance of being a good teammate and a strong leader. She encourages an environment on the field where we as players are given the opportunity to learn from our teammates so we are challenged to think through game strategy ourselves. This environment makes winning so much more rewarding!” said Abby.
A testament to Jody’s impact on and off the field, Abby is currently studying exercise science with a focus on health and wellness while playing NCAA Division 1 field hockey at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. She added this about her former coach:
Of course, over 20 years, not everything has been perfect. For one, given Jody’s competitive nature, she’d like to see Nerinx win even more championships. What’s more — the ever-pressing conflicts related to our current culture and the nature of the pandemic make a career as a teacher even more daunting at times. Still, Jody doesn’t let these things eat away at her overall goals.
In fact, when asked what keeps her coming back to work every day, Jody said: “What keeps me coming back? The challenge of finding new and creative ways to motivate students to do better. Every day, I wake up and think about how it can be better than the one before. To give yourselves to other people is about seeing change, whether it be through your local community or at large. Teaching and coaching demonstrates that all the time. You are working all the time to make individuals, teams, and communities better.”
Jody and Ellie Kovarik, daughter of Coach Angela Lombardo Kovarik '03, ride in style.
Though her vocation is clear, one thing you should know about Jody is that she also likes to have fun! The good news is that, at Nerinx, we have plenty of it — all while forging relationships and making lasting memories. According to Jody, that’s what adds an extra layer of icing over the cake in terms of her love for her career. “As a student, I remember how important friendships were to me — those friendships I still carry with me today,” she said. “And that’s perhaps what I love most about teaching and coaching — seeing students succeed and seeing smiles on their faces. I love this community because we do have fun. Students are laughing, having fun, and making memories.” Living out the Nerinx mission and values, instilling a sense of purpose and service, having fun, and making memories. That pretty much sums up Nerinx, and that’s what makes Jody the perfect person to be in her position.
Life of Service: A Family Affair
Did you know?Jody Patterson has a twin sister, Kelly Moore ’95. Like Jody, Kelly also lives a life of leadership and service in a variety of ways. Notably, Kelly works as director of community engagement for the International Institute of St. Louis, whose mission is to build a more connected and productive society to benefit immigrants, their families, and the wider community. She has been with the Institute for 18 years. “There’s a need to share the people of the world with our St. Louis community,” Kelly said. “One of the reasons why I’ve been at the Institute so long is because of my passion for other cultures and learning about people who are different from me, yet also alike in so many ways. It’s also about helping people become successful members of society.” Kelly noted that Nerinx helped engender in her a passion for service and international culture. And now, she gets to experience the world first-hand through the relationships she builds at work. Like Jody, we asked what keeps her coming back. She said: “Watching immigrants open up their businesses or take the citizenship test for the first time... seeing people navigate employment — these are the things that truly make a difference. It’s also important to me that we foster a more inclusive society and help our neighbors. The Institute does those things.” In addition to her career, Kelly also devotes a great deal of time to Nerinx. For example, she has volunteered to present to students about issues related to immigration, refugees, and other aspects of the Institute’s work. She has also helped galvanize her Class of 1995 to give back and become more involved.
Two sisters on two different yet similar paths of service. At Nerinx, we’re grateful for all that they do!
