Born into a Catholic family with three sisters and a brother, Kevin Muir’s life originated in Vermont. However when he was seven, his parents decided to move their family to a place that received more sunshine throughout the year. They made the trek across the country to Phoenix, Arizona, which not only had cheerier weather throughout the year, but also had a more vibrant Catholic community. Being a part of St. Theresa parish, Kevin found a home in a vibrant youth group program that built community and inspired many holy vocations. “I was very blessed that I could stay close to the Lord through the youth group and through the Newman Center in my college years at the University of Arizona,” Kevin admits. It was at UA’s Newman center that Kevin met his future wife, Andrea.
Kevin’s parents were educators. His father taught math and his mother taught English, and Kevin followed in their footsteps by becoming a public school math teacher. He also enjoyed coaching soccer and baseball. Yet, Kevin was dissatisfied with the state of public education, “I had a coming of age with education because kids would ask me, ‘why do we have to learn trigonometry?’ and in the back of my head, I was like, ‘That’s a darn good question. I have no idea.’” This drove Kevin to learn more about the philosophy of education.
Reading the book “The Opening of the American Mind.” by Mortimer Adler, Kevin learned the failings of the current public school system and recognized that Adler’s solution of classical reading and learning could help address these failings. Kevin decided to get himself out of the public school way of educating, and explored classical education and virtue formation. Kevin also got his Master’s degree in Educational Leadership.
It was not long before the newly named President (a priest who had come from Kevin’s youth group at St. Theresa) of a struggling St. Mary’s High School called and offered Kevin the role of Dean of Students. Accepting the job and the project of helping turn the school around, Kevin served as the Dean of Students for two years, Assistant Principal for four years, and Principal for three years. Choosing to create a Catholic environment in every nook and cranny of the school, Kevin and the administration team focused on discipline, liberal arts education, virtue formation, and hiring teachers who were excited about building a truly Catholic school. At first, strict discipline and change provided difficult moments, but it was not long before good families were attracted to the Catholic environment. The turn-around was a success and the school began to thrive again.
After nine years at St. Mary’s, Kevin was working 50-60 hour weeks as principal and also trying to lead a family with six kids. He realized that being a good principal with 80+ employees and being a good husband and father of a large young family were incompatible. So he made the decision to find a job that could continue to support his homeschooling family, allow him to be more present, and even coach his kid’s sports teams. “I wanted to find something that was still meaningful work, but with a little less stress, and a typical work schedule so that I could have breakfast with my kids,” Kevin stated. It was then that he made the switch to become a publisher of Catholic magazines with Decided Excellence Catholic Media.
Kevin found that his skills as a leader and a teacher translated well in the sales world, even with no previous experience. Within about a year’s time, Kevin helped eight parishes in the Phoenix area open up their own monthly publication with DE that continue to serve their relevant areas. Because his magazines reach over 32,000 households, Kevin continues to spread the good news, and is able to be present to family. While he was successful as a Catholic educator, Kevin appreciates the path that God has led him down, thankful for a new career in evangelization.
