Conway, SC – Atlantic Collegiate Academy principal Mike Lorenz is happy to announce the addition of Dan Beall to the Armada faculty for the 2024-25 school year. Beall will serve as a dual enrollment History professor.
A Maryland native, Beall has been teaching History at Horry-Georgetown Technical College for the last three years where he has focused on American History as well as the History of Western Civilizations.
The son of a career Army man who served in both Korea and Vietnam, earning a Silver Star and a Purple Heart, Beall was born in the US Naval Academy Hospital in Annapolis, causing much consternation for him when Army and Navy square off in athletics.
"Dan is a great addition to our dual enrollment staff," Lorenz said. "He has a real passion for history and will do a great job of teaching our students in their dual enrollment courses."
He attended Mount St. Joseph's High in Baltimore where he played baseball and was on the wrestling team. Like most kids who play baseball from an early age, his dream was to play second base for the Baltimore Orioles.
An honor student who was active in the Student Government Association, he developed a passion for History early on. He attended High Point College and the University of Baltimore, earning a B.A. in History in 2008. While in college he served as a dorm resident assistant and acquired keys to the old gym on campus next to his dorm. He and friends took advantage, playing basketball in the gym until the early hours of the morning almost every day.
Following college, he coached varsity wrestling and baseball in Maryland before venturing out to see the world. He spent five years in Panama and four in China. While in China, he taught History and English at Hebei Waiyu Xueyuan in Hebei Province. In addition to teaching, he edited and published two books, one on World History and the other on English for Chinese learners.
He earned a Foreign Expert Certificate while in China and speaks both Chinese and Spanish.
"I love to learn all I can about many various historical periods, places, events and people," Beall said. "I have travelled to about twenty-five countries, and I have been to 66 cities in China. I also picked up a wonderful Chinese fiancée along the way."
After returning to the United States, Beall completed a Master of American History from Liberty University in 2021.
In addition to his teaching and international travel, Beall has stayed close to his roots, serving as a founding member of the National Museum of the United States Army in Fort Belvoir, Va. He also has enjoyed tracing his own family history, following his genealogy back as far as King of the Franks Charlemagne, who was the first recognized emperor in Central and Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire, ruling from 768 until his death in 814. He was crowned Emperor by Pope Leo II in 800.
Beall's other interests include outdoor activities like hiking and camping, as well as numerous sports and attending Ekklesia Church in Conway.
"I am passionate about teaching and sharing history with my students, and love to engage with energetic learners about all topics of interest," Beall said. "I like my classes to be engaging and active with an eclectic variety of lectures, videos, Kahoot review quizzes and group activities. I am also somewhat of a storyteller, which is important for making history interesting.
Beall says he is incapable of passing a dog without trying to become best friends, but he does not have one of his own, something he hopes to rectify soon.
A fan of classic Literature from authors such as Shakespeare, Vonnegut, Maugham, Fitzgerald, Faulkner, Kipling, Wilde, Wolfe, Joyce, Hemingway and many more, he also consumes large numbers of books on history. He is also a fan of Classic Rock, Motown and Western movies.
About Atlantic Collegiate Academy: Atlantic Collegiate Academy (ACA), located in Myrtle Beach, S.C., serves high school students in a safe, small and family-centered setting. Our students seek the opportunity and challenge of rigorous curriculum, high academic standards and elite athletics while also earning up to two years of college credit. ACA serves students in grades 9-12 using an honors curriculum in 9th and 10 grades with a dual enrollment curriculum in 11th and 12th grades.
Learn more about ACA by visiting our website at AtlanticCollegiate.Academy and by following us on social media on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
