Amista Lujan, Staff Writer
Hey Saints! Let’s give a warm welcome to one of our newest faculty member, Mr. Keenan Konopaski. Mr. Konopaski joined the Saint Martin’s University family this Spring and is teaching ST: Insider’s Guide to WA State Government or PLS395/ENV395, as it is a cross-coded course.
Mr. Konopaski served as a public servant for 32 years and recently retired before making his Saint Martin’s debut. Previously, he worked for the Thurston County public school system as an administrator. This was before transitioned into government where he eventually became the head of the Washington State Audit Committee for 12 years. His role in the government aided the Legislative Branch in maintaining their integrity and efficiency. This can assure you that he is more than capable of educating us students in the legislature and state politics.
Shortly after retiring, he found his passion in guiding the next generation of future leaders. Mr. Konopaski reached out to the Department Chair of Social Sciences where they worked to create a class that would be beneficial to our students. It is well known that the university’s Political Science program is small with a lack of classes, making it difficult for students to meet their major requirements. The arrival of Mr. Konopaski opens doors for students to find interesting new classes and complete their major requirements. When talking to Mr. Keenan Konopask,i he stated that he felt drawn to the school for its location and its drive to guide students to be better prepared for the workforce. His presence on campus heralds a positive change in the Saint Martin’s community with new experiences to share with the school, especially when sharing stories from his decades of experience working firsthand in the government.
His classes are very informational, and he is open to feedback from students on what they want/ expect from his class. The ST: Insider’s Guide to WA State Government encourages field trips to the state capitol building to attend public hearings on bills and other related legislative committee meetings. He plans to have public speakers come in to talk to students about other opportunities related to this field as well.
There is no way this class is anything short of fun, educational, and beneficial for any student from any major wanting to learn about Washington State Government. Mr. Keenan Konopaski welcomes all students to send him an email if you have any questions regarding ST: Insider’s Guide to WA State Government and his email is kkonopaski@stmartin.edu. So please join in on providing a warm welcome to one of the newest additions of Saint Martin’s University.
Welcome Mr. Keenan Konopaski and thank you for choosing to continue your career here at Saint Martin’s University. It is undoubted that we have so much to learn from you!
The Belltower 