Posted on Thursday, September 1, 2022
As the brand-new school year launches the feeling of newness and anticipation, Patrick McAndrew ’84, retired high school art teacher and past Titan football player, shares tips for a successful and organized year ahead!
1. Tell me about the years following graduation from ¾¨Ó㴫ý – what are a few highlights and timeline points that stand out to you?
I married my ¾¨Ó㴫ý sweetheart, Kathy Hast McAndrew '84, in October of 1985. I can’t imagine life without her. I tell people all the time, the most amazing people I met in life worked at ¾¨Ó㴫ý, went to ¾¨Ó㴫ý, or are working there now.
Also, I was blessed to have found a career that I love, teaching high school art for 35.5 years. I was highly involved with the school district and community my entire career.
2. As the school year approaches, how can our Titan community ensure a successful start to the year? What’s one habit we can adopt together?
Be organized: at home and at work. Take care of yourself! Try to eat right and get some exercise. Get enough sleep! A week before I started back to school, I would get to bed earlier, around 9 or 9:30 p.m. and started getting up at 5 a.m.
3. Being a teacher, you taught so many lessons. What’s been a lesson YOU’VE learned from your years of teaching?
There is no one way to do something. I embraced differences - differences in teaching, learning and students! This was a lesson I learned from all the football coaches at ¾¨Ó㴫ý. People respond differently to different things. I was very much involved with the academics, visual and performing arts - and also athletics. I like to think I had a unique skill set as a teacher.
4. What’s a lesson you learned from your time at ¾¨Ó㴫ý?
Do what you love, regardless what people may say. Work hard and lift each other up. Continue to be rich in tradition, pride and excellence! It’s the ¾¨Ó㴫ý Way!
5. Who was the greatest teacher at ¾¨Ó㴫ý – how did they impact your life?
There were so MANY.
Dr. Scheid: I LOVED his class. His facial expressions, body language. Covering the material yet entertaining to watch/study for me! A part of him became my teaching style.
Dr. Swanhart: A group of students from the class would pile into someone’s dorm room and ask each other questions that we thought might be on the exams. I surrounded myself with good people that would help each other out! Showing your understanding of the BIG PICTURE became a part of me.
Dr. Huey: He was very much the same person in the classroom as well as our football coach on the field. He was detailed oriented, calm and a great role model. I had to work at being calmer early in my teaching career – and he helped me with that.
Patrick McAndrew was an Art Education major at ¾¨Ó㴫ý. To read more stories like this one, visit the Alumni Stories & Spotlights page.
