Florissant, MO, June 11, 2025 – Recent college graduates interested in pursuing a career in Catholic education now have a tremendous opportunity to advance their degrees debt free and receive unprecedented Catholic formation thanks to the new in-residence Teachers for Christ program developed by the Augustine Institute in partnership with the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE). Designed to blend a firm grounding in philosophical and theological principles, including a special emphasis on Christian anthropology and the liberal arts, with the down-to-earth concrete skills needed to serve and love people well, the two-year program offers graduates a Master’s degree in Catholic Education along with a credential from the ICLE’s groundbreaking national alternative to state teacher licensure. The first cohort of 12 aspiring educators begins classes this week at the Augustine Institute’s new state-of-the-art facility outside St. Louis.
“One of the goals of Teachers for Christ is to reestablish what made Catholic schools excellent throughout their long and distinguished history,” affirmed Dr. Jeffrey Lehman, Professor of Philosophy and Theology at the Augustine Institute, who directs the Master of Arts in Catholic Education program. “Catholic schools began with an unabashed commitment to Jesus Christ as their sure foundation and the understanding that all of learning is integrally related to one’s relationship with Christ and His Church. While students may be aspiring theology teachers, our program is for all teachers across all disciplines. The entire curriculum places Catholic theology as the foundation of our efforts in education across all fields of study. We want students to come away with a robust and integrated view of the world that is animated by Catholic thought, faith, and practice so they can serve faithfully in Catholic schools.”
The unique formation offered by Teachers for Christ consists of a sequence of collaborative projects and hands-on experiences, reading and discussion, informal talks and formal lectures, and a communal life that is rooted in prayer and the sacraments. The formation is synthesized by the insights of the coursework, ICLE training, and classroom apprenticeship opportunities at local Catholic schools in eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois. During the second year of the program, students are able to put principles into practice through placement at one of ICLE’s 248-member schools across the country. Placement assistance is offered post-graduation as well.
The inaugural Teachers for Christ class is fully funded by generous benefactors offering not only scholarships for both tuition and room and board but also provisions for living arrangements while the students are dispersed during their placement year and finishing program requirements.
“ICLE excels in forming educators in the craft of teaching within a deeply Catholic philosophy and practice. Helping teachers, especially new teachers, feel confident as they enter the classroom is a cornerstone of what we do,” said Dr. Ryan Messmore, Director of ICLE’s Catholic Educator Formation and Credential (CEFC) program. “ICLE and the Augustine Institute have a unique shared vision and passion for forming young people to make a real difference in a culture that desperately needs the Gospel.”
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