Dr. Ryan Messmore, College President
Dr. Ryan Messmore serves as the fifth President of Magdalen College. For many years, Messmore has advanced liberal arts education in the Catholic tradition, and he has extensive experience implementing such an education as an academic leader.
Before beginning his tenure at Magdalen, Messmore served as Assistant Headmaster of Academic Affairs at St. David’s School in Raleigh, NC. There, he led a comprehensive curriculum review that brought about a new trimester system and a humanities program taught through Socratic-style seminars. Previously, Messmore served as President of Campion College in Australia. Because liberal arts education is less familiar in Australia than in the United States, Messmore played a pioneering role articulating its importance to the public. He went on to serve as Founder and Executive Director of the Millis Institute at Christian Heritage College.
Messmore holds a DPhil in Theology from the University of Oxford and an MPhil in Theology from the University of Cambridge. He also received an MTS from Duke Divinity School upon completing an AB in Public Policy and Religion from Duke University. When asked about his background, Messmore replied, “I have traveled from the United States to England to Australia and back in a single-minded quest to promote and practice the best educational traditions of our faith. This quest has led me to Magdalen, which is home to an inspirational faculty and passionate student body committed to the same goal. Together, with God’s grace, I believe we can accomplish something extraordinary.”
In addition to his academic background, Messmore has been a public advocate on issues related to religion, culture, and education. From 2006-2012, Messmore served as William E. Simon Fellow in Religion and a Free Society at the Heritage Foundation, and he frequently wrote for outlets such as First Things, National Affairs, and The Washington Times. While in Australia, he was an honored speaker at a multitude of education-related conferences. Most recently, Messmore published In Love: The Larger Story of Sex and Marriage, where he draws on personal experience and the Christian tradition to articulate the meaning and purpose of marriage.
Messmore has a deep enthusiasm for Magdalen’s mission, traditions, and impact: “When I first visited Magdalen, I was moved by the profundity of the institution, its mission, and the members of its community. This is a place where the curriculum leads every student into a unified, ongoing conversation. It begins in the classroom, continues over meals, and persists late into the night in the dorms. The shared pursuit of truth has a transformative impact on young people, and it prepares them for a life of flourishing well beyond college. Now more than ever, today’s culture needs intentional communities that can shape tomorrow’s leaders to discern what is true and stand for what is right. I look forward to furthering the best traditions of Magdalen and leading it to new growth.
Victor Prieto, Board Chairman
President, Foundation for Catholic Education (Wilmot, NH)
Nathan Bond
Founder, Rifle Paper Company
Rev. Fr. Michael Sartori
Pastor, Saint Patrick Parish (Newport, NH)
Hon. David Currier
Founder, Bound Tree Medical
Co-Founder, Henniker Brewing Co.
Hon. Daniel Swegart
Justice, Circuit Court of New Hampshire
Katie Knight (Class of 1995)
Principal, St. Catherine of Siena School
Bernard R. Towne
CPA, Champion Accounting Solutions, PLLC
Eric Buck
Director of Career Pathways
Marie A. Lasher
Librarian and Financial Aid Officer
John Coleman
Admissions Officer
Michele McKenna
Director of Admissions and Human Resources Manager
Kenneth Cramer
Dean of Student Life
Catherine Orlowski
Registrar and Administrative Assistant to the Academic Dean
Laura Cramer
Executive Assistant and Student Life Associate
Victor Prieto
Business Office Director
Brian D. FitzGerald
Academic Dean
Rev. Fr. Stephen Rocker
Spiritual Life Director
Meg Gombojav
Chef
Tristan J. Smith
Digital Marketing Manager
John Klucinec
Director of Facilities and Grounds
Students will have the opportunity to take one of the following courses for college credit. Taught in Socratic-style seminar discussions, each course enables students to explore a particular interest and consider whether they might like to pursue that academic discipline as a potential college major. Students will spend 3.5-4 hours in class each day, have some assigned homework, and spend the remaining time in prayer, liturgy, sacred music, relaxation with new friends, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
Physics: Understanding Boomerangs, Billiard Balls, and Balance Beam Routines (1 credit) – Mr. John Klucinec
This course explores the laws of motion as described by Galileo and Newton by reading and discussing these authors and through classroom experiments. Students will gain an understanding of physics in concrete phenomena through studying air flight, fluid dynamics, the aerodynamics of the boomerang, the motion of billiard balls, and the physics of gymnastics and diving.
Moral Philosophy: How Do We Make the Right Decisions? (1 credit) – Rev. Fr. Stephen Rocker
Natural law morality and utilitarianism are incompatible frameworks of moral reasoning, yet elements of both are mixed in the public mind. Catholic moral teaching and the Western system of law are grounded in natural law. This course will present these two moral frameworks and apply them to moral issues.
Poetry and Politics in the Western Tradition (1 credit) – Dr. Mary Mumbach
This course will examine poetic form and political form in the tradition of the West. Students will explore, in particular, how the Incarnation shapes the roles of imagination, prudence, and the heroic in literature and political philosophy. Readings in poetry, fiction, and American Founding documents will be considered.
$395.00 USD
Tuition includes room and board. The purchase of a book may be required for some classes. Students should bring spending money for off-campus trips.
Students will have the opportunity to take one of the following courses for college credit. Taught in Socratic-style seminar discussions, each course enables students to explore a particular interest and consider whether they might like to pursue that academic discipline as a potential college major. Students will spend 3.5-4 hours in class each day, have some assigned homework, and spend the remaining time in prayer, liturgy, sacred music, relaxation with new friends, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
Theology of the Body: The Deeper Meaning of Love, Sex, and Marriage (1 credit) – Dr. Ryan Messmore
When it comes to romantic relationships and marriage, today’s culture is awash in confusion. The Church calls people to see a deeper meaning to sexual desire and marriage. But what is that, and how can it be pursued in modern times? Saint Pope John Paul II has provided valuable teaching in this area. Along with his “Theology of the Body,” this course will explore the nature of love, the meaning of betrothal and marriage, and sexual ethics from a Christian perspective. Class discussions will be theological and philosophical as well as practical.
Philosophy & Humanities: Friendship in Western Culture (1 credit) – Dr. Brian FitzGerald and Dr. Erik Van Versendaal
One of the most important features of human experience is friendship. Drawing on the great books of Western culture in literature, history, philosophy, and theology, from Aristotle and St. Augustine to Jane Austen and C.S. Lewis, this course will reflect on the nature of friendship across the centuries. Why do we need friends? What makes a good one? What are some obstacles to friendship? What happens as friends grow and mature in different ways?
Christ in Scripture (1 credit) – Deacon Karl Cooper
“Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” In this course we will seek to meet and understand Christ as he presents himself in all the Scriptures. We will read, discuss, enjoy, and pray through the most crucial texts, and focus our work on the living and present Christ.
$395.00 USD
Tuition includes room and board. The purchase of a book may be required for some classes. Students should bring spending money for off-campus trips.
Students will have the opportunity to earn one college credit by taking one of the following courses offered at Magdalen College. Taught in Socratic-style seminar discussions, each course enables students to explore a particular interest and discover if it could lead to a college major or area of focus. Students will spend 3.5-4 hours in class each day, have some assigned homework, and spend the remaining time in prayer liturgy, and sacred music, relaxation with new friends, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
Myth in Philosophy: Seeking Wisdom through Poetry and Story (1 credit) – Dr. Erik van Versendaal
What is the relationship between poetry and philosophy? Why does speaking about ultimate things lead philosophers into the realms of poem and story? This course considers philosophical works that are undertaken in a poetic mode alongside poems that express philosophic truth.
Physics: Understanding Boomerangs, Billiard Balls, and Balance Beam Routines (1 credit) – Mr. John Klucinec
This course explores the laws of motion as described by Galileo and Newton, by reading and discussing these authors and through classroom experiments. Students will gain an understanding of physics in concrete phenomena: through the aerodynamics of the boomerang, the motion of billiard balls, fluid dynamics, air flight and the physics of gymnastics and diving.
Theology of the Body: The Deeper Meaning of Love, Sex, and Marriage (1 credit) – Dr. Ryan Messmore
When it comes to romantic relationships and marriage, today’s culture is awash in confusion. The Church calls people to see a deeper meaning to sexual desire and marriage. But what is that, and how can it be pursued in modern times?
$325.00 USD
Students will experience the joy of learning in a variety of liberal arts fields, including courses in literature, philosophy, theology, and politics. Taught primarily in Socratic-style seminar discussions, these courses allow students to read classic texts and wrestle with big questions across a range of disciplines. Students will spend 3.5-4 hours in class each day, have some assigned homework, and spend the remaining time in prayer, liturgy, and sacred music, relaxation with new friends, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
$125.00 USD
