FACULTY FOCUS: KATIE COLLINS

Faculty member Katie Collins teaches in the St. Xavier Religion Department. She grew up in Dayton, the second of five kids, and was blessed with amazing parents. After graduating from Alter, she attended the University of Notre Dame, where she majored in theology. After graduation, Katie spent a year in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps serving in Fairbanks, Alaska. It was during this year that she fell in love with all things Jesuit. She found a home in the beautiful merger of faith, intellect, service, and community that is the Jesuit charism. After marrying her college sweetheart (Tom St. X Class of ’92) and spending a couple years in Europe, they eventually returned to Cincinnati in 2000, where she taught briefly at Summit Country Day and then Mount Notre Dame. Life then blessed Katie and her husband with three awesome kids. Katie chose to take several years off of teaching to focus on motherhood before the opportunity of teaching of St. X presented itself.

Why did you choose to teach at St. Xavier High School? I have always had an affinity for St. X. As a cross country runner in high school, the St. X invitational was one of my favorite races (probably due to the LaRosa’s dinner our coach would treat us to after the race). As I began my journey as a Religion teacher, I knew pretty early on that teaching in a Jesuit high school would be the best fit for me. Notre Dame had given me the rigorous preparation I would need to adequately educate and challenge the students of St. Xavier, and JVC had formed me in Ignatian spirituality and my commitment to justice. It also didn’t hurt being married to a St. X grad and knowing firsthand the amazing men that this school forms and sends forth into the world.

You are very involved in a variety of ways with our students. How do you describe a St. Xavier student? The first word that comes to mind is “diverse”—St. X students are engaged in so many amazing endeavors, both in connection to St. Xavier as well as in the broader community. What I love about St. X students is how easily they support each other in all of these areas. St. X students do not get pigeonholed into a single activity or a single group of friends here. We have a large, curious, and eager student body who accept and encourage one another on the athletic fields, on stage, in the lab, in robotics, on retreats, in community service, and so many other arenas! We foster a celebration of the whole person at St. Xavier and foster a culture that models acceptance of those who are different than ourselves. I am especially touched to hear the stories of people who have met our students while they were in the community engaged in service. I have heard stories from people who were nearly moved to tears seeing how kind and loving our students are when working with people who are so often overlooked in our society. Our students often don’t get to hear these stories, but their acceptance and love of society’s most vulnerable is a powerful witness of God’s love in this world.

What is your favorite part of St. X? I love how passionate the adults in this community are for the students. I feel so privileged to work every day with the finest teachers, administrators, and staff. Everyone in this building in fully invested in the formation of our students. They never stop challenging themselves to do better. They are driven by the Magis— always reflecting on their content, teaching strategies or engagement with students, and constantly seeking to improve so as to assist our young men in becoming Men for and with Others. I am constantly impressed with the wisdom and dedication that my fellow teachers bring to their craft.

What do you tell others about St. Xavier High School? Most people don’t need to be told about St. X—its reputation is well known. But if someone reaches out to me to ask about sending their son here, I begin by focusing on the formation that is so foundational to every part of our mission. St. X is not just about academics, but about forming human beings who will go out into the world to become better leaders, who bear witness to the Gospel, and seek a better society for all people. I explain the Grad at Grad and how intentional we are in challenging our students to grow in the five characteristics. Our students become more present to their experiences, growing in self-awareness as they reflect on how they have faced struggles and grown during their four years with us. St. Xavier students learn to see the world beyond themselves and leave our halls with a deeper understanding of the connection they are called to share with God, others, themselves, and creation.

What do you feel is the St. Xavier Advantage? Obviously, the formation that I’ve described leads to a reputation that precedes every graduate as they go forth from this place. I have met people from far outside of Cincinnati who know that St. X students are amazing. People in the broader community know what can be expected of our students; they are not just smart kids with a good education! St. X grads are men with heart who care deeply about the world in which they live. They understand that there is joy in learning something new about themselves or others and that there is meaning in grounding your life in faith and community. They are formed in the pursuit of the Magis; there is always room for improvement and opportunities to make this world a better place. This reputation is the core advantage that we offer our students. We hope that each young man who walks through these halls accepts the challenge to see themselves as a man for others and embraces the formation that we foster in them.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our community? I love being outside! Be it hiking, gardening, running, or even teaching a class. . . I love to be in the open-air exploring, digging, or just being still. Ask my students—especially any who have had me for Faith and Sacraments. If I can teach while outside at the amphitheater or sitting in the lawn behind the Jesuit residence. . . I’ve had a great day. My motto is generally “a good day is when you get dirty. . .and a great day is when you get dirty and (a little) bloody!”