“A Jovial Leader”
Advice from headmaster Sean Jenkins of an all-boys boarding school
by Jaron Richardson and Bryce Sain
I showed up to campus for my first day of school and experienced a new level of nervousness. I shook many hands that day as I got to know my teachers and administrators. They were all the same, simple, one handed, brief handshakes. When I finally met Dr. Jenkins, it was a completely different experience. I had his whole focus, he shook my hand with both hands, held it for a second, kept consistent eye contact, and told me that he was glad I was here. He meant it, too. He helped me conquer whatever qualms I had and made me feel wanted and welcomed. Kindness is what sets him apart from everyone else. Kindness is what makes him a very special headmaster.
Dr. Sean K. Jenkins is the new headmaster of a small all-boys boarding school just south of Asheville, North Carolina. He is a man who has made great strides in his life coming from a family that has instilled in him education and great values to become a leader. The moment you meet him, you want to become best friends with the guy just for the way he carries himself as a person and how he radiates happiness and unabashed joy.
On an early morning in February, my classmate and I interviewed Dr. Jenkins to hear his goals for Christ School, learn from his advice on how to succeed through college and to get to know him a bit more personally. Let’s go.
How would you describe your experience at an all-boys boarding school?
My high school was very much like Christ School. I played three sports, so I was really active. I attended a high school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where I originally went for a sports camp when I was in middle school. I loved the camp and the school, and I started to think about being in high school there. I eventually ended up boarding there, and the experience of going to an all-boys boarding school for four years was absolutely the most transformational experience in in my life, and a big reason why it’s been a calling to come back.
Everything you guys are doing, I mean, what you go through, I went through it too, and I loved it. I had incredible opportunities by my senior year that I wouldn’t have imagined during my freshman year. I was very involved by the time I graduated.
What was your transition like from Boarding school to college? Did it make things easier coming from boarding school?
Oh my gosh, college is the best. It’s so much fun, as boarding students you know everything about living almost independently. You’re so far ahead of your peers you know everything you need to do; you just need to execute it. You know the responsibilities, you know how to study, you know how to take care of yourself.
You know how to make decisions, but you also do the social stuff. I mean you have been around a crazy variety of guys so no matter where you go, you’re going to fit in. Also, everyone likes the guys from boarding schools, so that helps too. And you guys are already set because you have mastered time management. The key is to take what you’ve learned here and execute it.
What advice do you have for students starting off in college and needing guidance for their life?
Right, OK, it matters less that what you want to major in is connected to your job, so don’t think you have to major in business to get a business job. The number one decider on what you major in, I recommend, should be something you really love and enjoy and focus on.
There are two things that connect most to job placement from when you were in college. The first is your GPA and the second is how you spend your summers. So, it doesn’t necessarily matter that you study business to get placed into a business job. What matters is how great your GPA is. And then what your summer experiences are. My advice is always to study what you love. Always explore.
Many of your colleagues described you as a “jovial leader.” How do you accomplish this balance between being a very kind, upbeat person while also being a firm and strict leader?
Well obviously, you have to make the tough decisions about how you treat people and how you communicate with them doesn’t need to be tough, it can be empathetic and compassionate. We’re a small, tight-knit community and everything here is people driven.
I think you have to combine understanding the bigger picture of what is needed for the school, the school’s interests, and have a heart to how it affects everyone. If you’re in education and you’re working with young people, it should be fun. The meaning and the impact are really high. So that should be rewarding for everybody. We’re here to serve you guys (Students), and we should take energy from that.
