A member of the Benet community since 1996, Mr. Peter Drinan is thrilled to teach and help develop the next generation of Redwings. Since 2016, Mr. Drinan has created engaging mathematics courses that have prepared students for higher level math. Students have greatly enjoyed Mr. Drinan’s classes, leading to him becoming one of the most beloved members of the Benet faculty. Senior Joe Arndt labeled Mr. Drinan’s class “the best class I’ve ever taken.” Senior Alex Wold called Mr. Drinan “the GOAT.” Teaching Honors Algebra 1 and Honors Algebra 2 with Trigonometry, Mr. Drinan certainly feels blessed to be surrounded by such a fantastic Benet community, one that feels just as blessed to have him as a teacher.
Mr. Drinan grew up in Hinsdale, and he went to St. Isaac Jogues school for K-8. Mr. Drinan fondly remembers days spent in downtown Hinsdale playing “town tag” with his friends. He more fondly remembers, however, his fantastic four years as a Benet Academy student, a time that inspired his decision to be a teacher. Fantastic teachers such as Mr. Nagis, Mr. Noel, and Mr. Schumacher entrenched a firm love of learning in Mr. Drinan. After Benet, Mr. Drinan went to Vanderbilt University. Originally, he was a history major, but the intense load required of history majors persuaded him to switch over to math. He felt well-prepared at Vanderbilt, which he attributes to his fantastic education at Benet. The relative ease of his academic studies allowed him to focus more on becoming a responsible adult.
Starting at age fifteen, Mr. Drinan worked at St. Isaac Jogues as a janitor. After graduating from Vanderbilt as a math major, he decided to apply to be a math teacher at SIJ upon hearing that there was an available job. Unsurprisingly, he got the job, and would work at SIJ for three years. He then taught math at Nazareth Academy for nine years, but all that time he knew where his true home was.
Finally, there was an opening for a math teacher at Benet. Mr. Drinan had wanted this job for years, even going as far as wearing Nazareth apparel to Benet in hopes of getting a rise out of fellow Redwings and convincing the Benet administration to hire him. With his highly enjoyable Benet experience and connection to the school (his wife and five of his six siblings went to Benet), Mr. Drinan had always wanted to come back to Benet. He greatly enjoys the strong bond between Redwings and sees the Benet community as altruistic and welcoming. The ability of the Benet Community to put aside academic worries and focus on global and personal issues makes Mr. Drinan feel like he is a part of something bigger than himself. He sees this as something unique to Benet, as he does not believe the strong connection between members of the Benet community would be possible in a public school.
In his free time Mr. Drinan enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, and watching sports. He has two kids, a freshman son at Benet and a daughter, so he spends a sizable portion of his time at their activities. During the summer, he partakes in his family tradition of traveling to Hilton Head, South Carolina. His favorite sports to watch are college and professional football and college basketball. When watching college sports he roots for Notre Dame and Vanderbilt, and when watching the NFL he roots for the Chicago Bears. His favorite food is pizza, which he calls “the best food on the planet.” He is fond of Neat Kitchen + Bar and NWB.
Mr. Drinan has played a key role in helping recent Benet students thrive. His love of teaching is matched by very few. Fond memories of Mr. Drinan’s class will last a lifetime for many students. In short, Mr. Drinan is an esteemed member of the Benet Community, which makes him a Redwing You Should Know.
