Santa Gets His Master’s Degree

For Immediate Release:
March 30th, 2023

Santa goes to School? It is true. There are special schools for Santas and Santa Roger Minton resident of Fowlerville, Michigan recently attended very special school in Columbus and received his Masters Degree in Santaclausology.

Hundreds of Santa’s and a few Mrs. Claus have begun their preparations for the coming Holiday Season by attending the two-day “School 4 Santas,” presented by the International University of Santa Claus, IUSC. Almost 4,000 have received diplomas from the school in the past sixteen years.

A Santa for over 14 years, Santa Roger Minton learned there is more to being Santa, than just wearing a Red Suit and sitting in a chair. During the special two-day school, he learned a great deal about “The Business of Santa Claus.” Subjects covered included the day to day details of being Santa, plus the necessary elements of safety and today’s protocols of working with and handling children.

Santa Roger’s passion for performing as Santa Claus began at a very young age. At just five years old, he donned the red suit and played Santa for his kindergarten class. The following year, he performed his first magic show for the entire elementary school, a talent he has continued to hone and integrate into his performances as Santa Claus.

Santa Roger reports that this training was a very “in-depth” school covering not only the basics, but many other subjects.

“We learned a great deal including how to work with special needs children & families, the history of Santa Claus, proper grooming and appearance, how to maintain a proper Santa wardrobe.”

Other subjects covered at the school included making appearances at special events, entertainment & presentation styles, and the basic business aspects of being a Santa.

At the completion of the School all graduates receive a BSC, “Bachelor of Santa Claus” Diploma, conferring a degree in Santaclausology. And they instantly became members of the school’s alumni association, “The Red Suit Society.”

The school is presented by “NationalSanta™,” Tim Connaghan, Chancellor of IUSC, who is celebrating his 50th year as a Santa. Santa Tim has appeared at thousands of events, on television shows including the Today Show, Deal or No Deal, the Hollywood Christmas Parade, Dr. Phil, the Tonight Show, and in advertising and commercials for such clients as Oreos, Sears, Target, J.C. Penney, Honey-Baked Ham, Planter’s, Ritz Crackers, Kraft, Old Navy, and the Hallmark Channel.

He is the National Santa for the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation and also operates the nation’s largest Santa employment agency, RealSantas.com, which has placed as many as 700 Santas during one Holiday season. School4Santas is presented by The International University of Santa Clausä and is the largest annual Santa Training School in the World, and the only Professional Santa School that schedules two-day, regional schools each year. Schools have also been presented in Canada, Europe and each year aboard a select Princess Cruise. Each summer hundreds of Santas attend these schools, which will visit 10 to 12 cities across the Nation.