Matt Brennan

4th Grade Teacher, L.E.A.D. Academy Classical School in Pace, FL

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

Please describe your position and what you enjoy most about it.

I teach 4th Grade at L.E.A.D. Academy Classical School in Pace, FL. Because L.E.A.D. Academy is a Christian school, a good percentage of the students come from Christian homes. I have loved being able to be a part of the lives of these children during the time a lot of them go from knowing information about Jesus to actually knowing Jesus as their Lord and Savior. At the same time, a lot of students come from non-Christian homes, so I get to be their first exposure to the Gospel.

 

Have you or are you currently continuing your education? If so, please list the institution(s) and degree(s) you earned or are working toward.

I just finished my Master of Divinity from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO in August 2018.

 

Please share a specific example from your career or life when the skills you gained at HLGU helped you most.

I was able to lead a mission trip to Chicago in the summer of 2017 while working as a Residence Director for HLGU. We were working with the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention mapping churchless communities for a potential church plant. Our group made quite a few observations, and then we took the concepts I had learned in Marketing Research and was able to give a solid profile of the communities.

 

What HLGU professors played a part in your success? How did your relationship with faculty help you succeed?

My very first class I walked into at HLGU was New Testament Survey with Dr. Morgan. Being able to see his dedication to teaching despite going through cancer treatments showed me what it takes to be successful in life.

 

What are some of your favorite HLGU memories?

I made some lifelong friends from all over the world while at HLGU. Being able to spend hours on end in the dorms and on the golf course gave me so many opportunities to get to know people who have different backgrounds than I do. I was also very fortunate to have gotten involved with a local church in my time at HLGU. The Pastor at South Side Baptist Church is HLGU’s Wrestling Coach, Scott Hawes. I have known him since I was in Kindergarten, so being able to stay under his influence was great for my spiritual growth.

 

What on-campus activities were you involved in at HLGU?

I was on the golf team and I worked for the Student Life Department.

 

HLGU’s motto is “knowledge for service.” What roles have these values played in your life?

As a teacher, I love taking the information I teach to the students and showing them how to take what they know and apply it to their lives. HLGU helped show me how to make that a reality in my own life, and now I get the opportunity to pass that truth along to children.