Formed and Awakened is a podcast produced by Oakcrest School in Vienna, Virginia. Inspired by the work of Opus Dei and St. Josemaria Escriva, Oakcrest School provides an all-girls, integrated education where students learn content and virtue through a rich liberal arts curriculum, one-on-one mentoring and character development. In this podcast, we explore the many dimensions of human formation—what it means for parents, teachers, and students to engage in the daily work of educating the whole person. Through conversations rooted in the liberal arts and inspired by authentic womanhood, we look at how young women can be formed in virtue and awakened to their unique, personal call to excellence. Our hope is to inspire a generation of young women to discover their gifts, pursue the True, the Good, and the Beautiful, and use their talents to honor God and serve humanity.
Episodes
Jun 22, 2026
Jun 22, 2026
17 min
In this episode of Formed and Awakened, get to know Coach Pruskowski, longtime Oakcrest soccer coach and physical education teacher. Jen shares her passion for helping young women grow in strength, confidence, and resilience through movement and exercise and provides both technical and inspirational advice to keeping fit during summer vacation.
Jun 22, 2026
Jun 22, 2026
17 min
In this bonus episode of Formed and Awakened, Head of School Christie Keuchel reflects on the experiences and people who shaped her path to Oakcrest, the mentors and role models who inspired her vocation in education, and the unique qualities she sees in Oakcrest students today: young women who are taking on the project of her own education and development.
Apr 22, 2026
Apr 22, 2026
26 min
In this episode of Formed and Awakened, podcast hosts Elizabeth Bergin and Dr. Kat Hussman explore questions around dialogue with Oakcrest theology teacher, Joana Allen. What is dialogue? How do we open healthy and meaningful conversations with our daughters throughout adolescence? How do we encourage our daughters to engage in respectful dialogue with those they encounter?
Feb 19, 2026
Feb 19, 2026
22 min
In this episode, podcast hosts Elizabeth Bergin and Dr. Kat Hussmann welcome Dr. Edwina Maksym, former Oakcrest faculty member and the namesake of the Edwina Maksym Senior Thesis Awards. Dr. Maksym explores one of the questions that serves as a foundational pillar toThe Teacher Institute, Oakcrest’s in-house program for professional development and faculty support: "What is a person?" In answering the question, she unpacks into the realities of individuality, vocation, freedom, and relationship with God that shape a Christian anthropological understanding of personhood. This episode offers language and tools to help us better understand our daughters and students as whole persons.
Jan 9, 2026
Jan 9, 2026
16 min
In this first episode, Dr. Kat Hussmann and Elizabeth Bergin introduce Formed and Awakened, Oakcrest’s newly updated podcast. They discuss the mission of the show, their roles at Oakcrest, the importance of parent partnership, and what it means to form and awaken young women as whole persons. This episode sets the stage for exploring the vital questions surrounding education, character, and the unique vocation of young women.