Highlights of Alumni Who Majored in Philosophy

Meet some of the Saint Anselm College alumni who graduated from the Philosophy program:

Maria Schappler (Turner)

After graduating from Saint Anselm College, I entered the PACT (Providence Alliance for Catholic Teachers) Program to pursue a Master’s in Education. While taking classes at Providence College, I worked as a full time Social Studies teacher at a middle school in North Attleboro Massachusetts. I graduated with my degree in Secondary Education in May 2018. In September 2018, I began teaching high school at Saint Raphael Academy in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. While working at SRA, I was selected to work with a small group of teachers and a Highlander liaison on developing strategies to better serve our CP (high-risk) students. In August 2021, my husband and I decided to move back home to New Hampshire. I am currently working at Bishop Brady High School in Concord. I teach AP US History, Psychology, and a SNHU dual enrollment World History class. 

One of the best decisions of my life was to pursue a degree in Great Books instead of Education. Naturally, I honed my reading, writing, and conversation skills. I was exposed to the historical breadth of human thought, which provided me with a rich knowledge base to supplement my teaching, and I also gained the tools to seek out new sources. I also value the degree because it has made me a better teacher and a wiser person. My approach to teaching is reflective and multifaceted. I incorporate subjects beyond history (or psychology) because I can see how they are all connected. In this way, I am better able to engage more students. My philosophy of teaching also incorporates this holistic approach. I take my students as individuals with the interest of educating the whole person. In college, I learned to be open to new ideas, digest them, and make them my own. The Great Books Program at Saint Anselm College provided me with tools that are essential to living a fulfilled life.