Staff Spotlight: Greyson Mann
One of our favorite aspects of working for a global school, is the passionate people we are lucky to call our team. Meet Greyson Mann, assistant director of admission at Whittle School & Studios.
Greyson, who grew up in Washington, D.C. and has lived in both Beijing and Shanghai, speaks both English and Chinese. He studied at Wofford College and received a Princeton Fellowship to teach at Shanghai’s YK Pao School for a year. Greyson supported a network of global leaders when he served as a presidential appointee in the Department of Education’s Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
Get to know more about Greyson and his unique interests and experiences below!
Q: What drew you to Whittle?
A: I was drawn to Whittle School & Studios to bring an innovative and international educational experience to my hometown, Washington, D.C. I want kids just like me to benefit from many of the unique experiences that I have been lucky enough to have.
Q: Please share a memorable experience from your own education.
A: I went to a boarding school similar to Whittle School & Studios for high school. It was there that I was exposed to international classmates and friends from places like Sudan, China, Korea, Dubai, and many more. Through these friendships, I gained a perspective on life that helped further motivate me to see the world through a different lens and work hard to be the best person I can be.
Q: Do you have any interesting hobbies?
A: Over the years, I have been lucky enough to learn many different instruments. One of the most interesting instruments I have learned is the Erhu, a traditional Chinese stringed instrument that produces tones similar to a violin.
Q: What's your favorite place you've ever traveled to? What did you learn from the experience?
A: I lived in Shanghai for a year while teaching at YK Pao School, one of China’s top schools. While there, I learned a lot about working with students and that one of the best ways to support their development is through leading by example—not just teaching a subject, but demonstrating the habits, values, and skills that students need to build, inside and outside of the classroom. For instance, I was able to motivate our basketball team to win the Shanghai High School Championship by being at the height of my own athletic ability and showing them the path towards achieving their own high-level physical literacy.
Q: If you were a Whittle student, which campus would you travel to and why?
A: I would begin my education in D.C. and build a strong foundation in experiential learning in our vibrant city. From there, I would go to Shenzhen to improve my Chinese speaking skills, but also to gain insightful knowledge on advanced technology in Asia’s Silicon Valley. Finally, I would go to Paris to learn a third language—French—and be exposed to creativity, history, and culture.
Q: Do you have any special talents?
A: A special talent that I (hopefully) have is comedy. In China, I was lucky enough to study a traditional form of comedy called Xiangsheng, which is roughly the equivalent of stand-up. One of my favorite experiences was performing in front of a crowd of a few hundred at the Shanghai Opera House.
Greyson Mann is just one of our team members passionate about igniting global education in the lives of our students. Keep an eye out for more opportunities to get to know our staff, or attend one of our upcoming events to meet our team and learn more about our mission.