Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Fall 2017 | Page 11

by that you can collaborate with. I
was lucky to get in,” Scontras said.
Using the word ‘luck’ to get into
Harvard speaks of Greg’s humble
and unassuming persona. Mr.
Queally speaks first-hand of the
talented yet modest student he had
in class.
not something new to Greg. From
early on, his mother, Diane Kelley-
Scontras '74, said he had a curiosity
about life and why we do the things
we do.
“In school, his quest for knowledge
was fascinating. He loved learning,
he can’t live without learning. Today
he is the expert that people call for
“For him (Greg) the learning was
help,” Diane said. “I’m so proud of
real. He didn’t care about the grade. him and all his accomplishments.
The good grades came naturally. He I can’t even tell you about most of
never received anything less than an them because he is so modest they
A on his papers. Despite Greg being never get back to me .”
one of the most intelligent students
I’ve had the privilege of teaching,
The pursuit of knowledge and
he is very humble and was never
learning must run in the family.
boastful,” Queally said.
Diane was not able to complete
college back in the 70’s due to
Greg graduated from Harvard
starting a family, but she’d always
University in 2014 with a Ph.D. in
had a burning desire to complete
linguistics. He has also been called
her degree. Finally, at a time in her
back to teach a course at Harvard
life where she can go back to school,
this fall titled: The Probabilistic
she has been taking classes at the
Understanding of Language.
University of Southern Maine and
“If you think about it…what makes has three semesters left to go. She
us human? It’s language! We share a will graduate with a B.A. in English.
lot with other species but no other
“I had always wanted to go back
species has a language that we do.
to school. I aspire to be the world’s
If you understand language, you
oldest English teacher,” Diane joked.
understand something about being “I enjoy challenging my mind. It
human.”
keeps me young.”
Greg is equally impressed and
inspired by his mother’s pursuit of
finishing her degree. “My mother
is 60 years old and she’s pulling
all-nighters to write papers. She will
call me on the West Coast and it is
midnight her time!” Greg said.
Despite Greg’s demanding teaching
and travel schedule, he has been
adamant in making sure his mother
achieves her educational dreams.
Diane said when she started school
she needed a computer. “Greg
boxed his computer up and shipped
it to me from California. When I
opened it there was a note inside
that read: ‘This helped me get a
Ph.D. This ought to help you.”
When the fall semester finishes,
Greg will fly back to California.
His goals include expanding the
Linguistic Department at UC Irvine
and gaining tenure. Based on his
record of accomplishments, Greg
will be able to retire his winter
boots soon.
Greg’s work in understanding the
meaning of language has been
published in numerous peer
reviewed journals. In addition, his
research presentations have taken
him all over the world. “I’ve been to
Dubrovnik, Berlin, Paris, Madrid,
and London among other places.
This was all made possible from the
research I was doing. I’ve met so
many people along the way. I feel
like I’ve learned more from people
all over the world than anywhere
else,” he said.
Being willing to learn new things is
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