Although Sean Griffin might not be familiar to most students, the new Associate Director of Admissions makes a sizable impact both in the school and on the gridiron.

Before coming to St. John’s, Griffin taught at the Fessenden School in Boston and worked in admissions at the Kiski School in Pittsburgh, where he helped recruit international students.

“I opened up a job search last fall, and I had three options come spring time,” Griffin said. “It was a tough decision, but St. John’s reputation really precedes itself. Everyone up north knew about St. John’s, which spoke volumes to me.”

Some of Griffin’s responsibilities include interviewing prospective applicants and showing them and their families around the campus.

“He has a great personality,” Director of Admissions Courtney Burger said. “He puts people at ease right away, and he’s very outgoing and knowledgeable.”

In addition to working in admissions, Griffin helped coach the varsity football team. He played football at at Allegheny College, a liberal arts college in Pennsylvania. Griffin used his experience to acclimate the wide receivers to the team’s new pass-oriented offense.

“He has a lot of experience,” senior captain Josh Thomas said. “He’s one of the guys.”

The team’s 3-6 record this season surpassed their 2-7 record from the previous year. Despite a disappointing loss in the 2016 Kinkaid game, Griffin recognized the team’s potential as they adjusted quickly to the new offense.

“A lot of guys learned new skills very quickly and seamlessly adapted to an ever-changing scheme,” Griffin said. “I believe the future is bright for our football program.”

Griffin also applies values from football to his job in admissions. 

“We can’t do everything on our own. We really rely on each other,” Griffin said about the admissions team.

So far, Griffin has enjoyed his work off the field, continuing to guide prospective students on their path to high school.

“Meeting kids excited at the prospect of coming to St. John’s has been rewarding,” Griffin said. “I hope to play a part of the process of making many of these families happy and accepting them into the school this upcoming March.”