An Interview with SDS Dean Jefferson Brant

An Interview with SDS Dean Jefferson Brant

(With some questions from our students!)

We were excited to have St. Dominic School Dean Jefferson Brant join our community in July. He is a professional educator, strong leader, and devoted Catholic. He has quickly acclimated to our campus, and he is ready to lead St. Dominic into the future. Take minute to get to know history buff and Phillies fan, Jefferson Brant, a little better!

Were you a teacher before you became a dean?

I was a long-time history teacher and wrestling coach. I have a master’s degree in history and taught a range of courses for about 15 years.

Why did you want to become a dean?

I’ve always been interested in all the different aspects of how schools operate, and I also am someone who likes building programs and systems that work well. Serving as Dean of St. Dominic School is a great opportunity for me to dive into all those things I enjoy, and to help others in the process.

What does a dean really do?

A lot of things! At the heart of it, however, the dean’s job is to build healthy relationships, consistently listen to understand, and to lead in a manner that serves others and stays true to who we are as a school community.

Why did you want to come to St. Dominic?

My wife and I originally met in Memphis, and we were already interested in returning to the area after living out of state for eight years and welcoming our two children during that time. My wife is actually a St. Agnes graduate, and the job at SDS immediately caught my attention because of that and my Catholic faith. The more I learned about our school, the more excited I became about it all. It’s just a great fit all around, and I’m very grateful and energized to be here.

What is your favorite thing at St. Dominic so far?

I love the community feel of a Catholic school like ours, and I’m particularly enjoying working within a boys’ school. It’s an added bonus to have my daughter here with me on the same campus!

Have you always lived in Memphis?

Nope - I grew up in Clarksville, TN, and moved to Memphis to pursue my undergrad and then graduate degrees in history (Go Tigers!). I started teaching history and coaching wrestling before moving to a school in Maryland in 2016 and then Florida in 2019. Memphis feels like home for my family, and it’s been great to be back with friends and loved ones here.

What does your family like to do on the weekends and on vacation?

We like to be outdoors and spend time with loved ones. I also really enjoy working in the yard and try to do that whenever possible. A good movie is fun as well!

Did you ever play a sport?

I tried a bunch of sports growing up, but I wasn’t naturally talented at anything. I ended up falling in love with wrestling in high school because it was a challenge-and the right mix of hard work and fun. I liked that I could feel myself learning and getting better over time as I worked at it. Some of the best lessons in life have been learned directly or indirectly during my time on the mats.

What was your favorite subject in school when you were a kid?

History is the easy answer since it was genuinely my favorite, and I liked it so much that I went on to pursue two degrees in the field. Close seconds are Literature and Math - I’ve always liked to read and write, and I also found it intellectually fun to engage in the process of working through a mathematical problem.

Did you ever get a detention when you were in school?

I don’t recall ever getting a detention, but I had a lot of teacher corrections and conferences with my mom over the years. I wasn’t a big troublemaker, but I did make mistakes and always tried to learn from them.

What are your favorite sports teams?

Even though I’ve never been a big baseball player myself, I am a huge fan of the Philadelphia Phillies. I randomly started liking them as a kid and never stopped. I’m an opinionated believer that they’re the best sports franchise of all time (coincidentally, they also own the record for most losses all time in professional sports!).

What do you like to wear more-a bowtie or tie?

This is an easy answer - ties. I like the feel of a tie…it helps put me in a professional and scholarly state of mind. I’ve met many people over the years who like bowties, but they have never made much sense to me. As my dad used to say - “different strokes for different folks”!

What is your favorite color? Favorite food?

For a long time, I thought my favorite color was red, but now my favorite color is green because I was married on St. Patrick’s Day.

Fried Oysters are my all-time favorite food. I also like almost everything with hummus. I don’t like most sugary things, and there’s not a single beverage or food item that I think is better warm than cold. I’ll eat anything straight out of the fridge!