Faculty spotlight: Father Isaac Haywiser, C’09, S’15

by Public Relations | December 13, 2024

LATROBE, PA - As he put together his unique Saint Vincent College business course, Benedictine Hospitality for Business, Father Isaac Haywiser, O.S.B., C'09, S'15, took plenty of inspiration from Saint Benedict. He also borrowed a few ideas from Walt Disney.

"This is the first course I've created from the ground up," Father Isaac said. "I started by looking for biblical text, scholarly books and articles, that kind of thing, and realized that's not going to be enough. So, in the first week [of classes] I asked the students to reflect on what the world of business hospitality looks like and I used [the Disney Institute's book] 'Be Our Guest' as a basis of the conversation."

Published in 2001, "Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service" reveals the magic behind what Disney executives call "guestology"-the practice of exceeding a customer's expectations instead of merely satisfying them.

The Rule of Saint Benedict aims higher: "Let all guests who arrive be received as Christ." Hospitality is extended with prayer, humility, kindness and selfless service. Father Isaac's course examines how those Benedictine principles can be integrated in the business world and beyond.

Benedictine Hospitality for Business, which was offered for the first time during the fall 2024 semester, counts towards the hospitality and nonprofit studies certificates offered by the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics and Government. The course also is part of the College's core curriculum, meaning its lessons are valuable for every sort of student-whether majoring in business management, communication, psychology, chemistry or nursing.

"The Saint Vincent core is about philosophical, theological and ethical [ideals]," Father Isaac said. "So, this course is applicable across all our schools. I tell my students to think about this course within the context of their individual majors. We focus on the business part, that's one lens, but they'll bring other things into it."

The course delves into topics beyond Saint Benedict, who lived from around 480 to 547. Father Isaac lectures about how hospitality shaped monastic life in 12th century England; the example of Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk in the 20th century; and the ways American Millennials view hospitality.

"We get into, 'We know the Rule. We're applying the Rule. How does that affect business on a very practical level? And how does hospitality apply to life in general?'" Father Isaac said. "The students learn hospitality principles, then figure out how those ethical principles apply to their majors and start thinking about practicality. That's the vision for the class."

In addition to his teaching role, Father Isaac is director of strategic initiatives for formation at Saint Vincent Seminary, assistant health care benefits manager for Saint Vincent Archabbey, part-time chaplain for Saint Emma Monastery and Carmel of the Assumption, and spiritual advisor for Rest in Love Ministries.

After his ordination, Father Isaac worked in campus ministry at West Virginia University. In 2020, he earned a master's in marketing from Drexel University. He returned to Saint Vincent and taught courses in the principles of marketing and advertising promotion while earning a master's in church management via an online program through Villanova University.

"That's when the shift started to happen for me," Father Isaac said. "The McKenna School needed someone to teach nonprofit management [in spring 2024]. I essentially have a degree in nonprofit management-that's what church management is, right? And then in fall 2024 came the hospitality course. I also started teaching in our core, a listening seminar for incoming students and a seminar for our seniors."

Father Isaac Haywiser

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