Meet Mike McCauley

 Meet Mike McCauley, in coming to IPS, he’s actually training for his third or fourth career. He’s worked as a journalist, communication professor and health communication researcher. Now Mike is in the IPS Mdiv program.

Why did you decide to come study at Loyola?

While I was good at my past jobs, they did not allow me to work as directly as I’d like with other people – in terms of being a one-on-one helper. Over the past few years, I’ve been captivated with the idea of becoming either a chaplain or pastoral counselor. So, I’m here to begin a new journey!

What do you do outside of class?

I like to run, and enjoy nice meals with friends. I also enjoy movies and books, and will sometimes sneak away to a club to hear great blues or jazz.

 

Talk a little about a class, professor or mentor who inspired you.

Jack McLeod, my first grad school mentor at the University of Wisconsin, is a wonderful man who’s had a huge influence on my life. Every time I went to Jack’s office with a question, he gave me two or three more questions to think about. That’s the mark of someone who really understands mentorship – a teacher who wants to know, with all his heart, that his students will surpass him one day, in the name of greater knowledge and understanding for all.

Any spots on campus or in Chicago that you like the most?

I spend lots of time in Highland Park on the weekends, and enjoy many of the restaurants, pubs and shops there.

What is your favorite quote?

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”   ~ Howard Thurman

A favorite book, or one that impacted you and why?

Illusions by Richard Bach. If you want to know why, just read it yourself!

What is the best compliment that someone has given you?

That I think about ordinary things in really interesting ways.  😉

Tell us about your volunteer/service work and what it means to you.

I spent last summer working as a CPE Intern at Aurora Sinai, a medical center In Milwaukee which serves traditionally marginalized population groups. I’ve never met a group of patients who were so deeply in need of care – and so grateful to the people who cared enough to provide it.

Any advice you would give students about how to get the most out of their education?

Spend enough time discerning your path, working to better understand just what, and who, you’re called to become. Once you can see this path (at least for now), dive into your studies head-on!

 

And finally, what do you hope to be doing 10 years from now?

Working in a role where I can use my life experience to help other people find their way. This could mean working as a chaplain or pastoral counselor, or it might involve some sort of job that I haven’t even thought of yet.