Years at Prep: 4 months

Gonzaga Prep alumna Katie O’Brien joined the newly formed advancement team in the spring of 2019 as our new Director of Admissions. She comes to Prep from Seattle University, where she served as Director of Undergraduate Admissions.

What brought her to Gonzaga Prep? While training Sophomore Ambassadors in August, she noted the number one answer students gave to describe Gonzaga Prep was community. In her short time working with prospective and new students at Prep, she says it's been amazing to see the ways that community takes shape and how new students click into place as they explore Prep's offerings. She looks forward to seeing their continued transformation as they are challenged throughout the year.

As a graduate of Prep and in her new role, she has a special appreciation for the holistic education that students receive that prepares them for so much more than college. Academics are key, but Prep helps students become people for others in addition to setting them up for success after high school. “While I am grateful for the academics I experienced at Prep, the lessons of community, teamwork, faith and service to others have stuck with me far longer than the curriculum,” she says.

When she’s not in the halls of Prep or out connecting with prospective students and families, you might find her at Auntie’s Bookstore or at home curled up with her black cat, Betty, and a good book.