Marquette Catholic High School made a hiring splash Tuesday as it welcomed two full-time teachers and a part-time academic affairs assistant into the fold for the 2020-2021 year.
Chelsea Wagenaar earned her Ph.D. in English from University of North Texas in 2016 after completing her undergraduate studies in the same discipline at University of Virginia. Wagenaar has spent the past four years as an English professor at Valparaiso University while serving as director of the University's Writing Center. During her tenure at Valpo, she taught numerous courses, including Introduction to Creative Writing, Faith & the Novel, Advanced Creative Nonfiction, and Reading as a Writer.
Wagenaar's passion for writing isn't limited to just theory. She has published two books to date: The Spinning Place, which earned the 2018 Michael Waters Prize, and Mercy Spurs the Bone, winner of the 2013 Philip Levine Prize. Additionally, she has penned poems that have appeared in literary journals such as The Southern Review, Birmingham Poetry Review, Poetry Northwest, and Meridian.
Martin Villares has accepted the position of Spanish teacher. Villares, who possesses a wealth of international academic experience, accumulated three master's degrees from institutions in three countries before the age of 30. His most recent master's came from University of Southern California this past spring. Villares has also earned Master of Arts degrees from Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spanish language: research and professional training) and King's College in London (film studies). He double-majored in journalism and film studies while enrolled as an undergrad at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in Spain.
Villares was an assistant lecturer at USC during the 2019-2020 academic year. His teaching experience also includes a stint as a teaching assistant at New York University in 2016. Villares is a member of the Northeast Modern Language Association, the Association for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies, and the National Association of Hispanic and Latino Studies. Outside the lecture hall, Villares immersed himself in civic duty as a volunteer with both CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights) and Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project in Los Angeles from 2016 through 2020.
Anthony Holt, a familiar face and voice around St. Mary's and the Rudy Hart Theatre, is joining the department of academic affairs. Holt has volunteered with Marquette's music and theatre departments for the last five years. A 2014 graduate of Michigan City High School, Holt was a substitute teacher during the 2019-2020 campaign while serving as organist at St. Mary's Church. He will assist with test scheduling and administration, Title programming, in addition to working with students.
Marquette's first full day of school is slated for Monday, August 24th.
