Caleb Hansen really likes to teach.

Caleb is an English language trainer with Migration and Refugee Services by day, and an English as a second language teacher with Jefferson County Public Schools by night.

At MRS, he’s in the classroom about three hours a day, working primarily but not exclusively with people arriving from Cuba. With JCPS he sees a variety of nationalities. Because he works two jobs, he’s “always tired,” but also rewarded.

“When students are trying to understand something, and the light bulb goes on in their head … I live for that. I love when they start to get something, and they get excited and then start asking more questions because they want to learn more. I love that passion!”

Truth be told, Caleb has a passion for learning, too. This January he will move to New Jersey to attend Princeton Theological Seminary, where he will pursue a master’s in Patristic Theology: the theology of church fathers like Athanasius, Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, and John Chrysostom. From there he plans to earn his Ph.D. and teach theology at the college level.

During his undergrad work at Indiana Wesleyan University, Caleb studied in Jordan for a semester, and during that time was able to travel to Israel, Palestine, and Morocco. That’s when he developed a love for Middle Eastern food that often takes him to the Grape Leaf in Louisville for “the best middle Eastern food this side of the Atlantic.”

In addition to teaching, Caleb also serves as a lay leader in his church, Sojourn Church Midtown. That means he doesn’t have a lot of spare time, but when he does, he likes to hike and enjoy nature, “every chance I get.” He recently did a backpacking trip with friends at Red River Gorge, and often visits one of his favorite spots, Bernheim Forest and Arboretum, just south of Louisville in Bullitt County.

Caleb says the most meaningful thing about his year with Catholic Charities has been “making a tangible difference in people’s lives.” His students will take what they learned in class that day and use it in the world the same day. “I love knowing that their lives will be made better for being able to communicate with the world around them.”

Best wishes, Caleb!