Passing the Torch: A Concordia Alumnus Follows His Heart into Teaching
Education is all about the passing of the torch. At Concordia, our students learn from the best! Our alumnus Nicolás Abouchedid, from the Class of ’17, exemplifies this perfectly. Inspired by his high school teacher, Mr. Mark Johnson, Nic has followed his passion into one of the most rewarding professions: teaching!
Nicolás Abouchedid
High School Humanities Teacher, Admissions & Communications Manager, Northridge Preparatory School
University of Notre Dame, Class of ’22
Concordia Shanghai, Class of ’17
As he embarked on his career at Northridge Preparatory School, Nic was filled with excitement, nerves, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Throughout it all, Mr. Johnson’s influence was ever-present—a reminder of the pivotal role his teacher played during his time at Concordia.
(Nic with former Concordia high school teacher Mr. Mark Johnson)
Hailing from Venezuela, with years spent in Ohio and Beijing, Nic embraced Concordia as a third-culture kid, finding a welcoming home within our vibrant community.
Nic fondly remembers his first class as a high school freshman: Humanities.
“In that course, we asked big questions, read deep works, and aimed for challenging goals. More than anything else, the ‘way’ Mr. Johnson taught—with evident mastery over the content, commitment to each student, and seriousness about rigor—set before me the ideal of being a lifelong learner, and a man for others,” recalls Nic.
(Nic at high school graduation)
After graduating, Nic pursued his passion at the University of Notre Dame, majoring in Liberal Studies and Chinese, while continuing his love for writing as editor-in-chief of the Irish Rover (an independent student newspaper at Notre Dame). He further honed his skills as a press officer at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research before his career led him to teaching.
In a delightful twist of fate, seven years after leaving Concordia, Nic found himself learning from Mr. Johnson once more, this time at the “Teaching Foundations” workshop at Northridge Preparatory School. First in Shanghai; now Chicago. The reunion was a joyous reminder of how small the world can be!
“So great to still be in touch and to support Nicolás Abouchedid as he goes into teaching at Northridge Preparatory School!” says Mr. Johnson. “Nic was such a wonderful, inspired student to have at Concordia. I know he will be a great teacher!”
Now stepping into the classroom himself, Nic is excited to apply the lessons learned from his mentor and to inspire the next generation of students. Keep the momentum going, Nic—we’re all excited to see how bright your torch will shine!
