The Face to Face

S3 EP1: Mark Nicholas

Mark Nicholas joined the Burroughs faculty in 1982. He teaches American government, World Civilizations, U.S. History and a senior elective, Literature and History. He also conducts family interviews for the Admissions Department. He holds a bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University and taught at several high schools in Michigan prior to coming to Burroughs. In today’s episode we cover Mr. Nicholas’ experience in football, what it means to be human, and of course, history. We greatly appreciate Mr. Nicholas for taking the time to speak to us, and wish him the best as he transitions into his role as our new principal!

S2 EP6: Scott Deken

In this episode, we dive deep into the science of the brain and explore how drugs influence brain chemistry. Scott Deken joined the Burroughs faculty in 2005. He teaches 10th grade Chemistry, Bioethics and Advanced Biology: Behavioral Neuroscience, and is the head baseball coach (winning the state championship in 2023). He is the immediate past principal of 9th and 10th grades. Prior to coming to Burroughs, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Washington University in St. Louis for three years. Dr. Deken holds a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry from College of the Ozarks and a doctorate in neuroscience from the University of Alabama-Birmingham.

S2 E5: Meridith Thorpe

Meredith Thorpe, also called 'Coach Thorpe' by many, is the Director of Admissions and Tuition Aid at Burroughs, as well as the head field hockey coach. Besides coaching field hockey at the collegiate level, she also played on the national team before! In this episode, we touch on many important topics, ranging from the JBS admissions process to discipline and work ethic. Huge thanks to Ms. Thorpe for taking the time to speak with us!

S2 EP4: Shannon Sock

Shannon Sock serves as Mercy's chief operating officer and chief strategist. Mr. Sock has earned an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. Shannon. Since he joined Mercy in 1999, he has served in a variety of leadership roles, including chief financial officer, focused on major business and clinical transformation initiatives. These include the creation of an award-winning supply chain operating division, Mercy Meds, Mercy SafeWatch, early implementation of an electronic health record and the establishment of Mercy Virtual. Prior to joining Mercy, he worked in consulting for CSC Healthcare. Mr. Sock, thank you for taking time out of your day to have this insightful conversation with us!

S2 EP3: Willie Owens

Willie Owens has been selected as Burroughs' new athletic director! Willie is the Athletic Director at Sandia Prep in Albuquerque, overseeing 70 coaches and 56 teams in 23 sports. He was the head boys basketball coach from 1994 to 2017, achieving nearly 400 wins and multiple championships. Recently, Sandia Prep has won state titles in soccer, track, dance, and cross country. We are very excited to see what Mr. Owens can provide to our athletic culture here at Burroughs!