Teacher Feature: New Faculty Welcomed to Jesuit
Catching up with five of the newest faculty members at Carrollton and Banks.
Jesuit High School and the Blue Jay welcomes nine new teachers to the campus on Carrollton and Banks. Focused on the mission of relentlessly pursuing God’s greater glory, the new faculty are already hard at work teaching their respective disciplines.
With so many outstanding educators joining Jesuit, the Blue Jay will highlight a few over the course of each of three issues.
Each new teacher was asked the following questions:
1) Why did you choose to work at Jesuit?
2) Where did you previously work?
3) Where did you go to school and what degree(s) did you receive?
4) What are your passsions, interests, hobbies; what do you like to do in your free time?
5) Anything else you would like to mention.
In this issue we will hear from Mr. Michael Buission ‘19, Mr. Martin Jaskiewicz, Lt. Col. Craig Himel ‘91, Mr. Stephen Rice ‘19, and Mr. Alexander Scalco ‘14.
Their answers are as follows ...
1. As an Alumnus of Jesuit, I always thought it would be great to work for the school as the MCJROTC Senior Marine Instructor. When the opportunity became available, I jumped at the opportunity.
2. In 2021, I retired from the United States Marine Corps after serving as an Infantry Officer for just over 25 years. Afterwards I worked for a Law Firm in Lafayette as their Operations Director prior to accepting the job here at Jesuit.
3. Right after Jesuit, I attended LSU. After two years, I realized LSU was not the school for me, went back to the Jesuit Guidance Department for assistance and through their assistance attended Virginia Military Institute graduating with a Bachers of Arts in Internataional Studies and commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. Then at the end of my military career I received my Master in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
4. In my free time I spend time with my family. My wife and I have two daughters: one a Junior at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette and one a Senior at Teurlings Catholic High School in Lafayette. When I’m not spending time with them, I enjoy working on our land in Sunset, Louisiana.
1. I felt called to participate in the formation of men. Having recently been through college myself, I have great sympathy for young men struggling with faith, education, and relationships. I hope to arm at least a few men with the tools they need to navigate their world after high school.
2. I worked in a few dental practices in St. Louis that ran the gamut of oral surgery, pediatrics, and general dentistry. I also worked in a tool and DIY shop.
3. I went to the University of Missouri - Columbia and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. I minored in Chemistry and Business.
4. I spend much of my free time playing guitar. I’ve been playing since I was young and I never tire of it. I also like to play golf in my free time.
1. I chose to work at Jesuit because it is an environment that I am familiar with as a graduate, but also one that has changed and grown over the last several years. I was very excited to return to this school and contribute to that growth.
2. Previously, I worked for the state of Louisiana. I was an intern at the Governor’s Mansion and also an assistant in the Governor’s Chief of Staff’s office. These experiences gave me problem-solving skills and experience that I have taken with me into my career.
3. I graduated from Jesuit in 2019 and I graduated from Louisiana State University in 2023 with degrees in History and Political Science.
4. I have a passion for movies and TV. My favorites are Stand By Me and The Sopranos. I also enjoy travelling whenever I can, and I recently made my way to Europe for the first time.
1. There are many opportunities I did and did not take advantage of when I was at Jesuit, so I see the ASC program as a way for me show the students what great experiences Jesuit offers, while urging them not to miss out or shy away from anything outside their comfort zone. The Appalachia Service project was one experience that definitely took me out of my comfort zone in high school, so helping to chaperone it this summer was really special for me. I also appreciate the formation I am receiving in the ASC program. The ASC house helps us grow in community and live more simply. Mr. Reuther ‘01 has also given all of us lots of teaching wisdom to put into practice. The best part of ASC, though, is the spiritual component. Having time set aside for prayer and spiritual direction is a luxury that most jobs just don’t offer, so I am happy to lean into it in my ASC year.
2. Before coming to Jesuit, I taught middle school science at Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Baton Rouge. I also have worked as Physical Therapy tech, a Golf Course Maintenance Worker, and a Summer Camp Counselor.
3. I went to LSU, and earned a B.S. in Kinesiology.
4. I am super passionate about my Theology class and helping with Campus Ministry since these both were impactful for me as a Jesuit student and helped me grow a lot as a man. My main hobby is reading. I wasn’t the most diligent reader at Jesuit (Mr. Prados ‘83 can attest to this). I started reading for fun later on, and found it really enjoyable and helpful for learning about interesting topics. I also enjoy playing golf, cooking, running, chess, and losing to LT in ping pong. I have been trying to learn piano, but it is difficult, so I will take any advice.
5. I once tripped over a hurdle and still won the race, I am undefeated in boxing (1-0, 1 knockout), and my favorite artery is the internal carotid artery because it is pretty big and squiggly, then it goes to the circle of willis which looks like an alien on your brain.
1. There are a lot of reasons, but before anything else: I chose to work at Jesuit because I believe in its mission. I think the Jesuits found the key to Catholic education when they emblazoned “AMDG” onto all of their schools. Inviting young people to perceive God’s glory (the radiant love of the Trinity) is absolutely essential to their Christian formation, and I just want to be part of that.
2. I taught Theology at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Mobile, Alabama.
3. I did my BA at Spring Hill College in Mobile, where I double-majored in Theology and Philosophy. I got an MA in Theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington DC.
4. My hobbies are always changing. Last year, I was super into ping-pong. I’ve gotten rusty, so I need some students to challenge me and help me retrain. Recently, I’ve been into podcasts, which is surprising because I never really liked them. But one thing that I’ve consistently enjoyed is food. I consider myself a pretty good cook, and I’m very skilled at trying new restaurants. Oh! And I like movies.
5. When I’m on my lunch duty and I tell you to go to the “far line,” I’m talking about the hot food line on the other side of the cafeteria by Palmyra Street. I know that’s not the kind of thing you were looking for with that question, but I just want to get the word out.
Check back later for more interviews with the newest members of the Jesuit faculty.