For the past 23 years, Greg Wallendal ’98 has combined his passions for literature and theatre as a tenth grade English teacher and theater director at Beloit Memorial High School. This past January, he was inducted into the United Arts Alliance Hall of Fame, a recognition that reflects not only his artistic accomplishments but also his impact as an educator.
Greg ’98 originally came to Beloit College intending to study psychology. A freshman-year theatre class changed his direction entirely. Without having formal theatre training growing up, he discovered a passion for the stage and decided he wanted to become the kind of teacher who could provide students with opportunities he never had. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Theatre Directing with an English Language Arts Education from Beloit, later completing a master’s degree in Theatre Directing at Roosevelt University.
One of the most influential experiences during his undergraduate years was his international student teaching placement in Australia. Experiencing a different educational system broadened his perspective and reinforced the importance of adaptability in the classroom. “It was really eye-opening to actually travel and learn about different learning styles,” he notes. This student teaching experience was really helpful when he taught English at an all-girls, maximum security, juvenile prison in southeast Wisconsin for 4 years. This was an extremely formative experience for him, as he got to work with a small population using a strict behavioral education model as his first introduction to teaching.
At Beloit Memorial, Greg has directed more than 50 plays and musicals, from bold productions like Chicago and The Laramie Project to family favorites such as Shrek and Mary Poppins. He has also led students to perform internationally at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the largest theatre festival in the world, allowing them to share their work on a global stage. Beyond his own classroom, he has mentored numerous student teachers, including nine from Beloit College, emphasizing structure, classroom management, and the value of learning through both success and failure.
For Greg, great teaching extends beyond content knowledge. “Knowing your subject is important,” he says, “but teaching is more about personal connection.” He encourages future student teachers to engage students by sharing their own experiences and building authentic relationships. In a world filled with digital distractions, he believes meaningful human connection in the classroom matters more than ever.
March 25, 2026
