‘Letter to Home’: Class of 2022, Liam Thompson

Editor’s note: This article was published in the February 2023 issue of the North Star Catholic.

After graduating from Lumen Christi High School in May 2022, I sought out higher education at St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri, to pursue a Biomedical Engineering degree. After my first semester of college, I can say with certainty that Lumen Christi prepared me for college academically, socially, mentally, and spiritually.

This past semester was extremely difficult; however, due to what I learned at Lumen, I was able to succeed. I had well-developed study habits, as well as a grasp on applying knowledge and seeking out the truth, that a majority of my college peers did not possess. Due to my high school experiences in science labs and in writing papers about complex subjects, such as xenotransplantation, I was much more prepared than most of my college classmates to receive the complex information taught in my classes and apply it to homework, tests, and labs.

The small community of Lumen is much different than my college campus; however, the small class sizes at Lumen still served as an advantage. I learned to get along with all different types of people at Lumen and not fall into a certain clique, which helps when trying to make friends in college, as I can relate to everyone.

The first semester of college was also mentally strenuous with living alone for the first time, in a new place, with a lot of difficult classes and work — but I was prepared. Due to my experiences in sports at Lumen Christi — and my tough, but caring coaches — I learned to persevere through adversity. I always strive to give my best effort, take nothing for granted, work hard, and never give up.

In addition, Lumen prepared me for going away to college as it gave me a community I already belonged to the second I walked on campus — the Church. My understanding and familiarity with the Catholic faith offered me a safe and comfortable spot in church while on a foreign campus.

I am grateful for my experience at Lumen Christi High School, and I have used what I learned there to succeed in my next step in life.