Alumni Spotlight
Meg McMillen ’78: “Teaching Pays So Much More Than Money”
We think you will enjoy listening in on our recent chat with Meg McMillen, English High ‘78, an award-winning teacher and community activist. After high school, she continued her studies, receiving a BA in History and Education at UMass Boston, followed by an MA in Education at Boston College. She is a long-time volunteer with the Big Brother / Big Sister Association and is the proud mother of two daughters in college.
Right, Meg McMillen ’78 connects with with Sal Giarrantino ’66, left, who is a substitute teacher at Quincy High School.
EHSA: Describe your student days at EHS. Were you affected by the busing controversy?
Meg: I was at English High for my junior and senior years. I was in culture shock coming from a small Catholic, all-girls high school. There were hundreds, maybe a thousand students, and there were escalators to move students quickly throughout the many floors! This was two years after the start of Boston’s busing. I don’t actually remember seeing any fights, but there was a tension amongst students that I didn’t experience before.
EHSA: Were there certain teachers that had a special effect on you? Did any of them stand out as role models for you to become a teacher?
Meg: I had one teacher, my typing teacher who took the time to talk with me and showed an interest in my life. Sadly, I don’t remember his name, but I am grateful for the skills I learned in his class.
EHSA: What courses were especially interesting as a student, and do any stand out as helpful for life lessons?
Meg: I later majored in history which has always had my interest. I remember having a student teacher who was blind. I thought that was fascinating!
EHSA: Talk about going back to school at 42 with 2 children to get a degree. How did you manage that?
Meg: I had all of my high school credits so I graduated early in January of ‘78. I had a full-time job in travel already lined up. The travel industry served me really well—I got to travel the world and to experience many new lands and cultures. While I had a job that paid well without a college degree, I always felt a wee bit less not having a degree. Sadly, after 9/11, I, like many others in travel, lost their jobs. It was the perfect opportunity to reinvent myself and to obtain my undergraduate degree. I loved history, and I had been a Big Sister, and I hoped my reinvention would give me more purpose. I am now in my 19th year of teaching, and it has been an amazing career which pays so much more than money.
EHSA: Describe your career as a teacher.
Meg: I teach at Quincy High School. I teach four sections of sophomore world and early U.S. history, and I teach one section of Advanced Placement U.S. Government & Politics. It has been a very rewarding career. There are so many past students who are still in my life for which I am grateful. I also had both of my daughters as my students, and got to hand each of them their high school diplomas at graduation.
EHSA: Your advice for today’s students in general, and for seniors thinking about the future.
Meg: My advice for today’s students is to begin to nurture professional relationships with teachers and mentors who will be helping you throughout your high school years, and who will ultimately be writing your college recommendation letters. Find your smile, find your voice, greet your teachers warmly, and share your goals with them. We are excited about your future and we want to support you and to help you succeed.
