For nearly twenty-five years, Susan Preston has inspired generations of young men at Oratory Prep through her creativity, passion, and dedication to the arts. Since joining the faculty in September 2001, Susan has built a vibrant and meaningful art program that has left a lasting impact on countless students. For seventeen years, she served as the school’s only art teacher, teaching a wide range of courses including Drawing, Painting, Art History, Asian Art, Applied Art, and Ceramics, both handbuilding and pottery wheel instruction. She founded the OP Art Club, organized and established the school’s chapter of the National Art Honor Society, and launched the beloved “Empty Bowls” program, which over the years has raised and donated approximately $15,000 to local food banks and charitable organizations.
Under Mrs. Preston’s guidance, students experienced the arts far beyond the classroom through trips to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Grounds for Sculpture, the Montclair Art Museum, Raku pottery workshops, and the Union County Teen Arts Festival. She also successfully wrote and secured grants that brought unique workshops to OP in areas such as hand built teapots, Japanese Nerikomi, and Batik. In addition to her work during the school year, Susan faithfully taught ceramics each summer at the OP Summer Academy.
Throughout her career, Susan has always been quick to share her gratitude for the many people who supported the growth of the arts at OP. She credits the school’s generous administration for creating the beautiful art room that became a second home for so many students. She was also grateful to her Art Department teammates, Kathy Otterbein, who expanded the curriculum into Graphic Arts and Digital Photography, and Jessica Wirth, who has continued that incredible work. As Mrs. Preston retires, the Oratory Prep community celebrates not only her remarkable accomplishments but also the joy, creativity, and encouragement she shared so generously with generations of Rams.
This article appeared in the May 2026 issue of Fidelitas: The Alumni Newsletter of Oratory Prep. To read the latest issue, visit www.oratoryprep.org/fidelitas.