As part of Saint Ignatius High School’s Women’s History Month celebration, we are proud to feature our fifth and final Wildcat Woman of the Week, Theology teacher Mrs. Megan McCullough.
Megan McCullough is a Cleveland native who has been a member of the Saint Ignatius community since 2016. Prior to working at Saint Ignatius, McCullough was a Campus Minister at an all-boys Jesuit high school in California, where she met her [now] husband, Casey. After spending eight years there, she decided to return home to Ohio.
“When a job opened up at Saint Ignatius, I was really excited. My dad and brothers are alumni, so I had family ties here. I knew good things about the school, and I felt like it was a perfect fit for me,” she said. McCullough was initially hired on as a part-time Campus Minister and part-time Theology teacher, through which she was able to share her love of Christ with students through both academic and spiritual programming.
Once a position became available, McCullough was offered the opportunity to become a full-time teacher. Although her background was primarily focused on Campus Ministry and service programming, she accepted the offer and has been greatly enjoying her experience at the front of the classroom.
“Seeing the students every day and being able to build relationships is eye-opening. I get to see how God is active in their lives on an everyday basis. That I see as a gift, and I feel like I can fully embrace Ignatian spirituality in this setting.”
Throughout McCullough’s four years in the classroom, she has primarily taught freshmen, and her favorite courses include Hebrew Scriptures and Christology. “I really enjoy being with the freshmen. I love their questions and curiosity. They are coming in with an openness to God. It is a privilege to journey with them as they continue to gain a more mature understanding of their faith.”
“Megan has proven to be a great leader in our department. She has really taken charge of guiding the freshmen teachers into developing and implementing the curriculum there. She is a model of teaching Theology, both the intellectual aspect of the discipline and also using it as a way of growing closer to God,” reflected Jim Brennan ’85, Theology Department Chair. “She brings joy to our department. She is on fire with the Spirit and it shows in the way she carries herself and interacts with students and colleagues alike.”
In addition to teaching, McCullough has been an integral part of Saint Ignatius High School’s Vision 30 strategic planning process. She is a member of the Academic Committee and the Freshman Experience subgroup. “One of the great things about this community is our openness to growth. Being a part of Vision 30 has been moving, especially seeing how people are open to how the Holy Spirit is moving our school community forward.”
In looking toward the future, McCullough strives to form men of faith by helping students learn, love, and serve Jesus through scripture and prayer. She hopes to broaden her courses by forming more partnerships with the Ohio City community to help her freshmen expand their worldviews.
“I feel blessed to have a career where I’m able to talk about God every day and learn from my students’ insights. They come up with things I never thought of, and I feel like I have grown a lot because of them. I am so grateful for that.”