Q&A: James J. Scholl, St. John's High School, Shrewsbury
Scholl
James J. Scholl was recently named director of communications for St. John's High School, a private, Catholic, boys school in Shrewsbury. Scholl will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the school's communications and also will teach two computer applications courses within the computer science department. Here, he talks about his new job, which is his first out of college, as well as the impact of his own Catholic education.
Vital Stats
Residence: Medway
Family: Not married
Education: Bachelor's in communication, Fairfield University;master's in higher education, Boston College
Previous job: Graduate Student
Start date at new job: Aug. 11
Q. How are you settling in at your new office?
Settling in to St. John's has been wonderful. All of the staff at the school are so supportive and really care about the students and ensuring that the mission of St. John's, as a Xaverian Brothers-sponsored school, remains intact for years to come.
Q. What's the biggest surprise you've had in starting the job?
Not being from the Worcester area and having never visited St. John's before, I had no idea what to expect. I have to say that I was so impressed by how nice the St. John's campus and the surrounding community are.
Q. What challenges do you see in your new position?
Right now, the biggest challenge for me is really getting a pulse for what the St. John's community is all about. As a communications director, I feel this is one of the most important things a person in my position could be doing. St. John's strives to form, inform, and transform young men via rigorous academics, a strong campus ministry program, and commitment to athletics and teamwork. I know that as I continue to acclimate myself to the community, these attributes will most certainly shine through.
Q. How different is this job from your previous position?
Having gone straight into graduate school from my undergraduate experience, this will be my first full-time job, so I have very little to compare it to.
Q. How close is this to what you imagined in high school you'd end up doing?
I feel that my current job is very similar to what I imagined I would end up doing back in high school. Being the recipient of a Xaverian Brothers education myself, I really feel that I became who I am today as a result of this. I recall going through the later part of high school with a great deal of admiration and respect for all the teachers and staff I had encountered. They believed in the mission of the Xaverian Brothers. I saw how happy they were and from that point on, I always considered coming back to a similar environment like St. John's one day.
Q. Where's the best place to get lunch near your new location?
Well, I am still settling into my job at St. John's and acclimating myself to the surrounding community. As of right now, I have been heading over to the White Hen Pantry Deli off of Shrewsbury center. The deli has a great selection of sandwiches and wraps that are all very reasonably priced for a young person on a budget like me.
Q. What do you hope to be doing 10 years from now?
In 10 years from now, I hope to still be working for a Xaverian Brothers-sponsored school or another Catholic high school within Massachusetts. More than likely, I will still be working in advancement in some capacity. I really feel that advancement work, particularly in a Catholic high school, is all about the relationships. Everything I do involves meeting and conversing with people on a daily basis and I love it. I can't see myself doing anything else.
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