Mr. David Merola and his wife, Christine, currently live with their three children in Dresher, Pennsylvania.  He was born and raised in Warwick, RI. David attended Lehigh University where he earned a minor in music and a B.S. in pure mathematics and ran on the Cross Country and Track teams. He was awarded Lehigh’s Thorburg Mathematics Prize for the most outstanding record in an advanced mathematics course. He continued his studies at Florida State University to earn an M.S. in pure mathematics before embarking to teach full time.

As a cradle Catholic, David’s parents took him to mass every Sunday and holy day “no matter what.” Piety was passed onto him through family rosaries and a devotion to the Stations of the Cross. After running the Philadelphia Marathon in his first year of graduate school and being fully disillusioned with the college life of empty narcissism and pleasure, David left his running career behind him and fully embraced his Catholic faith. Inspired by the writings of the Saints, Scott Hahn, and Pope Benedict XVI, David experienced a re-vitalization of his faith similar to a “born-again” experience that turned him into a daily communicant. His good Protestant friends and future wife, Christine, challenged him to know his Catholic faith not just through Tradition, but also through Scripture. The result has been twenty years of desiring God through Bible studies, small-group fellowships, and parish involvement. Over the past decade, David has been a part of the Men’s Ministry and served as Faith Formation Leader at St. Martin of Tours Church in New Hope, PA. He attended and led several lay-run men’s retreat weekends through St. Martin’s where he mentored a number of Catholic men looking to rediscover and deepen their faith. 

During his years in the classroom, David has taught students in special education and private boarding schools. He first worked for Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth and then spent 3 years teaching and living alongside students with non-verbal learning differences and Aspergers at Franklin Academy. After that, David spent the next decade teaching at The Solebury School in New Hope. It was there that David learned to teach Harkness Table mathematics focused on round-table discussion, solid reasoning, and formally written work. Over the past 3 years, David introduced this method to teach Multivariable Calculus as an adjunct instructor for Delaware Valley University.

In his spare time, David plays strategy board games and reads Catholic theology. He particularly enjoys reading St. Alphonsus Ligouri and papal encyclicals. He loves to watch and play tennis, which he also coached at Solebury. His favorite day of the year (other than Christmas and Easter) is when he goes to the US Open. In his mind, a perfect day is one where he can manage to fit in the Divine Office while still meeting the needs of his family and professional responsibilities. (Fitting in video games with his son on top of that is even more challenging!) David is extremely grateful for the gift of his Catholic faith and to be a part of the mission at Martin Saints Classical as a full-time faculty member. He is looking forward to helping his students “cast into the deep.”