Anchored by the Classic Learning Test

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino’s Pizza and Ave Maria University, as well as Adam Kinnick, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management at Ave Maria University. Tom recounts growing up in foster homes and Catholic orphanages across Michigan, working multiple jobs to pay for classes and textbooks as a young adult, and eventually founding Domino’s Pizza with his brother while a student at the University of Michigan. He highlights the important role his Catholic faith plays in his daily life, and how it ultimately motivated him to found Ave Maria University. He and Adam discuss Ave Maria’s faithfully Catholic identity and share tips for students interested in attending.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Cassidy Syftestad, a Hillsdale College graduate and current third-year PhD student at the University of Arkansas studying Education Policy. Cassidy discusses how her family benefited from school choice while navigating the public school system and responds to common criticisms of school choice, emphasizing the need for freedom in education. She also shares memories from her time in the American Studies program at Hillsdale, including interviewing Annette Kirk and studying in Washington, D.C.

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Dr. Jordan Almanzar, Professor at Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts in Warner, NH and teacher at Kolbe Academy. He discusses his new memoir, When the World Was Flat: One Boy’s Life at the Edge of the Millennium, which recounts his upbringing as a homeschool student in rural Colorado. He highlights many of the changes he has witnessed in society since the turn of the millennium and promotes homeschooling as an effective way to nurture family relationships in a disconnected world. He also shares about his experiences while earning his PhD at Georg-August-Universität in Göttingen, Germany, including living with his family in a medieval castle.

On this special episode of Anchored, guests Anika Prather and Doug Wilson continue their conversation on race relations in the United States. They engage in a lively discussion on topics including the value of classical education, the power of the gospel in creating racial healing, and the importance of listening to and understanding other perspectives. Join us for this special two-hour episode hosted by Dr. Christopher Perrin of Classical Academic Press.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by two leaders of St. Benedict Classical Academy in South Natick, MA: Headmaster Jay Boren and Co-Founder Erika Bachiochi. Erika shares about her academic path to becoming a legal scholar and subsequently helping found St. Benedict. Jay shares about his experience as a novice Benedictine monk before becoming a classical Catholic educator for twelve years. Under his leadership, St. Benedict’s enrollment has blossomed from 25 to 233 students. Erika and Jay share advice for new classical schools, examine the relationship between classical and authentically Catholic education, and discuss the need for good school leaders. 

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Becky Priest, College Counselor at The Cambridge School in San Diego, CA. She discusses how her childhood interest in education led her to Washington University in St. Louis, where she discovered a passion for helping others. She eventually joined the University’s financial aid department, before leveraging her skills to help start The Cambridge School. She shares advice for new college counselors, recommends strategies for developing a robust faith life in college, and discusses the value of classical education in preparing students for undergraduate studies.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Dr. Justin Smith, Head of the Upper School at Little Rock Christian Academy in Little Rock, AR. Justin shares about his educational and professional background, including his studies at the University of San Diego, Sam Houston State University, and the University of Oxford. He recounts how an encounter with the Harkness Method of Pedagogy at the Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire changed the course of his career. He also discusses the significance of education as a formative experience for students, emphasizing the importance of good school leadership in cultivating virtue and genuine learning.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Tsh Oxenreider, who is an author of books, a long-time podcast host, and creator of The Common Place newsletter. Tsh recounts her time spent abroad in Turkey, emphasizing the value of cross-cultural experiences. She explains why living abroad led her to homeschool her children and take a year-long educational journey with her entire family after moving back to the U.S. She shares about the educational group trips that she leads for students and adults of all ages, connecting history and literature to lived experience. She also discusses her journey with the Christian faith and her eventual conversion to Catholicism.

On this special episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by two leaders in the classical renewal movement. Dr. Anika Prather is the founder of The Living Water School and Professor of Classics and English at Howard University. Douglas Wilson is a Senior Fellow at New St. Andrews College, founder of the Logos School, and Senior Minister at Christ Church in Moscow, ID. Together, they discuss Dr. Prather’s book The Black Intellectual Tradition, the legacy of Anna Julia Cooper, the importance of classical education, and the lived experiences of black and white Americans throughout history.

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Andrew Brummett, Founder of The Wayside School and of Wayside Educational, an educational services company serving a network of micro high schools. Andrew shares about his journey through public and private education, which included graduate studies in military history and theology that ultimately led him to become a classical educator. He discusses the importance of making classical education accessible, explaining how micro schools provide an affordable alternative to traditional private schools. He also shares about his interest in the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne and H.W. Longfellow, discussing their influence on his educational philosophy.