After graduating from TPS in 2016, Brennen Goodin started college at Indiana University Southeast, majoring in Political Science and Pre-Law. When finishing his bachelor’s degree in May of 2020, he started law school at Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law. He graduated from law school back in May of this year and now works full-time as a prosecuting attorney for the State of Indiana. He has two goldendoodles. His hobbies include history, exploring nature, visiting different national parks across the United States, and anything sports related. Let’s meet him!
Brennen: Hi, Christi!
Christi: Nice to meet you, Brennen! I heard that there are several TPS alumni in your family. Could you introduce your family members?
Brennen: Indeed, I am one of six children. I have two older brothers and three younger sisters. All six of us did TPS. Five of us have graduated and we will soon have six TPS alumni. Also I am engaged and about to get married to my fiancée this December.
Christi: Wow, congrats! Maybe your family is the biggest TPS alumni family.
Brennen: Yeah, I guess we are.
Christi: What made you interested in the field of law and politics, and why did you choose to major in them?
Brennen: From a young age I was always interested in government and politics. I would read every book I could get my hands on that had anything to do with politics or history. As I got older and began thinking about what I wanted to do after high school, I began to look more into becoming a lawyer because I realized how much government and the law intersect. Now I am a prosecuting attorney.
Christi: What exactly do you do as a prosecuting attorney?
Brennen: As a prosecuting attorney, I gather information about criminal cases and prosecute people who break the law. I research the law and the facts of each case to make sure I can make the best possible argument. Most days I state my case and argue in a court room in front of a judge and a jury so that I can hopefully get a guilty conviction against someone who has broken the law.
Christi: Do you enjoy your current job?
Brennen: Yes. Since I only graduated from law school back in May of this year, I have not been working for very long. Even though I have only worked for a few months so far, I have really enjoyed getting to use the gifts and talents that God gave me. I like being an attorney and using my legal education for His Kingdom.
Christi: That sounds nice! It’s good to hear that you are doing something you like. Let’s talk about your memories of TPS. How many years had you been in TPS?
Brennen: My first year in TPS was 2009. In total I was in TPS for seven years!
Christi: Wow, That’s long ago. I think TPS might have been somewhat different back then. Can you describe to us the way classes were taught at that time?
Brennen: It is crazy to think about how long it has been since I started TPS. The years really do fly by! Back then, we used GP4. As a student, the only abilities we had were to type in the chat box or to talk on the mic if the teacher unmuted us. The teacher would talk and present his/her screen with a PowerPoint presentation. However, back then internet was a lot slower, and I feel like it was very common to get kicked out of the classroom due to a technical issue or bad internet. And I feel like there were a lot of courses to choose from. I always enjoyed looking through the course list and deciding what I wanted to take.
Christi: It seemed that not too much has changed. The only big difference is that we use GP7. Was there a lot of homework at that time? I think there’s too much homework in TPS now.
Brennen: Haha, yes, there was a lot of homework back then too. Some things never change!
Christi: Did you have any highlight moments at TPS?
Brennen: One highlight for me is not one specific moment, but just how I was in general while in class. I was always the student who wanted to make witty comments and jokes to make the teacher laugh, and whenever I was successful I always felt like such a good student haha.
Christi: What qualities or abilities do you feel TPS has shaped in you?
Brennen: I think I took just about every English class offered by TPS at that time, all the way from English 1 to Advanced Composition. The strong writing skills that I acquired during my time as a TPS student have really helped me throughout college, law school, and now as an attorney. Even now, I encounter documents written by other attorneys filled with common grammar mistakes that I learned about years ago in my TPS English classes
Christi: Oh great! I have heard from several students and alumni that they felt that they improved a lot through English courses in TPS. What is your favorite course in TPS?
Brennen: One of my favorite classes was English 1 taught by Mrs. Massie. My favorite memory from that class is the books that we read throughout the school year. Each book (Redwall, The Hiding Place, and In Freedom’s Cause) was extremely interesting, and I still think about each of them from time to time even today.
Christi: Cool! Now let’s talk about your hobbies. Which part of history do you like best?
Brennen: Really any time period interests me, but I especially like reading about the American Civil War and World War II.
Christi: Do you have a favorite national park?
Brennen: Out of all the national parks I have been to so far, I think Badlands National Park in South Dakota might be my favorite. I am hoping to visit Glacier National Park in Montana soon though!
Christi: What sports do you like? Do you support a team?
Brennen: I especially like American football and basketball. I am a lifelong fan of the Indianapolis Colts, and I also really like supporting the Indiana Hoosiers men’s and women’s basketball teams!
Christi: Before we finish the interview, let me ask you one last question. What advice would you give to younger students?
Brennen: My advice to younger students is to really think about which subjects and topics interest you most. If you have a particular area of interest such as history, math, chemistry, or whatever, then go for it and follow your passion! Everyone is unique, so do not worry about taking a different path than other people. What is most important is figuring out the unique gifts that God has given you and really going after that passion. Sometimes it takes a while to figure out what you are really into, but eventually you will find your calling and you will do great at it!
Christi: Thank you, Brennen! Your advice is really helpful and encouraging.
Brennen: Thanks for inviting me, Christi. Bye, all the readers of TPS!
Photo credit: Brennen Goodin
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