Alumni Spotlight: Paul Shanahan (Class of 1981)

The Servite College Football Trip to Melbourne in Year 12 was one of favourite memories of my final year!! But there are plenty of other good memories from my time at school but probably best not to publish some of them…..!

I have taught in Catholic Schools since 1985, including Servite College from1991-1993 where I was mainly teaching Mathematics. Currently, I am HOLA Science at Chisholm Catholic College.

At school, I played AFL and Cricket. After school, I had long (but not very illustrious!) careers in AFL, Soccer and Baseball. I coach my son’s AFL team at the Morley Bulldogs. I am also the cofounder and Chair of a local community group in Bayswater which organises monthly Markets, a Food Pantry for locals in need, and which advocates for solutions to the housing crisis. Not sure how I ended up doing that role, but there you go!

Wherever it is, Servite was the launch pad! Life’s given me a beautiful family (my wife Kelly and three children Ella, Ruby and Rory). It’s given me a great life in Perth. It’s given me a satisfying career. It’s taken me around the world. It’s given me lot of fun!

I think the Servite tradition of service was – and still is – strong in me. So, life has also taken me into the community where I try to help others in whatever small way I can. I am still inspired by people like my father Jack Shanahan and Fr Liam Mackle (both ex-Principals of Servite and both sadly departed).

I was very lucky to be raised and taught by these and other Servite staff and clergy. In short, life has been very good!