REDEFINING CLASSICS

Michael J. Adkins is Dean of Academics, Director of
the Lower School, and faculty member of Saint Agnes
School (PreK-12) in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He has
taught English, History, Theology, and Latin in
elementary, middle, and high school for over two
decades, and he currently works on curriculum
development and institutional advancement. An
educational consultant, public speaker, and retreat
leader, Adkins has expertise in curriculum
development, school improvement, pedagogy, and
classical liberal arts education. This fall he will begin
teaching for Catholic International University’s brand
new Master’s program in Catholic Liberal Arts
education (formerly Catholic Distance University).
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Honors Classics from
Gustavus Adolphus College, a Master’s Degree in
Catholic Studies from the University of St. Thomas,
and he recently earned his Doctorate in Education
and Educational Leadership from the University of
Mary. Adkins composed his Master’s Essay on Pope
John XXIII’s Apostolic Constitution, Veterum
Sapientia, and the importance of the Latin language,
and his dissertation was a mixed methods study on
classical education which resulted in a 110-item, peerreviewed inventory of the key principles and practices of classical education. He has published various articles on education and theology in several
publications including The Celator, The Numismatist,
and The Bellarmine Forum.