Born in Colorado and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Mr. Arendt’s homeschooled childhood was filled with continuous wonder at the world. Although his first intellectual love was physics, he became enamored with philosophy after taking an introductory course at a local community college, and decided to attend St. John’s College in Annapolis to study the Great Books of Western Civilization. There, he had a decisive encounter with the Bible and with giants of the Christian intellectual tradition–especially St. Augustine and Dante–and by senior year was baptized into the Catholic Church. For the past two years, he has worked to give back some of the rich liberal education he received by teaching a 3rd grade classical homeroom centered on the Middle Ages at St. Jerome Academy in Hyattsville, MD. Outside of teaching, Mr. Arendt is often found running in nature, playing guitar, learning languages, and most of all, reading. He is excited to share with his Chesterton students his love of liberal education and the Catholic intellectual tradition, and to seek with them the rich ways faith and reason illuminate each other, in the humanities and the sciences.

Mr. Gunderson grew up in Catonsville, MD, and received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park. It was during his time there that he converted to the Catholic Church, a journey significantly influenced by the writings of G.K. Chesterton. After various work experiences in the industrial technology industry, he transitioned his focus to the mission of Catholic education. Mr. Gunderson loves exploring the wonders of God's creation through mathematics and science, yet his intellectual curiosity extends across the entire curriculum. He believes in fostering a cohesive learning environment where all the academic disciplines are unified by the Truth of Jesus Christ and the Catholic faith. For Mr. Gunderson, the cultivation of wonder through direct engagement with reality forms the foundation of true learning. Outside of teaching, he enjoys playing sports, hiking, fishing, playing guitar, and reading. Mr. Gunderson is excited to join the Chesterton community and share his love of learning with the students.