Marie-Catherine Letendre
Marie-Catherine Letendre, PhD, Department Chair, Marymount International School
Born in Newport, Rhode Island but enjoyed her childhood in San Diego, California, Marie attended high school in Beaverton, Oregon. She graduated magna cum laude from Marylhurst University in nearby Lake Oswego earning credentials in the teaching of French and Art. Marie continued her study of French Language and Culture earning the Certificat de la Langue Française from La Sorbonne, Université de Paris. At the same time, she deepened her knowledge and practice of calligraphy, lettering design, and illuminated manuscripts. She has participated in calligraphic exhibits as a member of the Portland Society for Scribes and in exhibits of Circolo Calligrafia Italiana in Staranzano, Italy where she taught summer courses for five years (1994-1999).
During her time as a high and middle school teacher (St. Mary of the Valley and The Catlin Gabel School), Marie broadened her scope of teaching by including courses in Psychology (National Science Foundation Grant to study psychology at Stanford University) and in Theology and Philosophy (Graduate studies at University of San Francisco). She is also a recipient of two French Government Scholarships (Université de Nancy, Université de Poitiers) for study of language learning via technology.
In 1998, life choices took a different turn. Marie accepted the position of principal of St. Thomas More School in Portland and then in 1999 she was chosen founding principal of a pre-K to Grade 8 school in southwest Washington state (Pacific Crest Academy) and put to good use her knowledge of curriculum and instruction.
In 2002, Marie moved to Rome, Italy to assume the position of Religious Studies Department Chair at Marymount International School where she currently teaches. While in Rome, she earned a Licentiate in Bioethics magna cum laude from Ateneo Pontifico Regina Apostolorum (June 2006) and a Doctorate in Bioethics (March 2009) with a dissertation theme of The Bioethical and Cultural Implications of the Truth-telling Debates.