Brother Glenn Bolton, FSC, Graduate School Advisor, Residence Hall Director

If anyone understands the value of education, it’s Brother Glenn. He’s got so many degrees, his older brother once warned he might price himself out of the market.

Yet, with four graduate degrees (History, Psychology, Ethnic Counseling and Private School Administration) and a PhD (Higher Education Administration) he’s found the perfect role for himself as Graduate School Advisor at Saint Mary’s College. 

Nine years into the program, which Brother Glenn lobbied to establish, it’s clear he is filling a need. “I had over 1200 one-hour appointments last year alone,” he says, pointing to a dual computer spread sheet tracking each student and their higher education goals. A graduate degree isn’t for everyone, but Brother Glenn likes to make contact with each freshman student to at least plant the seed. “I want to meet them, even if they don’t know they want to go on. The sooner I can get them to know the service exists, the better it is.”

From his office in Filippi Academic Hall, Brother Glenn helps student candidates with everything from applications to proofreading personal statements and lining up letters of recommendation.  In many ways, there’s no better mentor for teaching the art of multitasking – since Brother Glenn, himself, earned a double major in less than four years at Saint Mary’s.  

Even as a boy, he had an insatiable appetite for learning. Growing up in San Francisco, his family of seven would take long summer road trips “Six to eight weeks of traveling and everyone threw out an interest. We hit baseball parks, museums, amusement parks, mints – we were a pretty eclectic family.”

Today, Brother Glenn’s “family circle” has widened to include hundreds of current and former grad students. It’s not easy keeping track of everyone, let alone handling the social obligations. One year he attended 13 weddings. And, half jokingly, he says he encourages students to look outside the Bay Area for graduate programs - so he can "have fantastic schools to visit."

It's only partially true," he laughs. "Ok. Largely true, but think of the education they'll receive.”