With the spring break marking the homestretch of the second semester, seniors are more and more cementing their plans following graduation. Whether going off to college, straight into work, or taking a gap-year and everything in between, the class of 2026 is ready to walk the stage onto their own journeys away from Roncalli.
With many continuing towards higher education, seniors are all excited for the new paths they are paving at their respective colleges.
Although nervous for the major change, senior Hayden Bauman is ready to utilize his innovative thinking to make impactful changes in the physical world as a designer, planning to major in either comprehensive design and marketing, or industrial engineering at IU Bloomington, Georgia Tech, or Notre Dame.
“I remember in kindergarten I got in trouble because I drew all over my homework. It’s just always been a part of me to create,” Bauman said. “Through design and industrial design, you apply engineering and problem-solving skills to help actual people in the real world with your own creations. It seems really fun and seems like something I would be good at.”
Senior Brady Tillar was also drawn to his path from a young age, as he plans to study business at IU Bloomington and create a real estate firm.
“So when we were in fourth grade, they changed the wax museum from a famous historical figure to an entrepreneur,” said Tillar. “And when I interviewed my entrepreneur, it made me really think and I was like, I really wanna be an entrepreneur. So I’ve had that dream since fourth grade. And then I was going back and forth. I always thought my entrepreneurs had to create their own item or something. I went through that for a while and then I was like, that’s not what they have to do. They can just create their own business. So I jumped around with things I really liked for the past year and a half. I realized I love looking at homes and I just see real estate signs everywhere, I just really cut it down right there.”
For some, college is just another step in the journey. Senior Collin Ash plans to play baseball and study business at Valparaiso University.
“I chose this path to continue my dream of playing college baseball,” said Ash. “I am excited to get to know new people, but I am nervous to be so far away from everyone.”
While some are driven by innovation and passion, others are also influenced by those closest to them. Senior Regan Schoettle plans on attending either IU or Butler, to study HR management or kinesiology, crediting her desire for an entrepreneurial route to her family.
“My family comes from entrepreneurship,”said Schoettle. “My father owns his own company or has invested in companies to own part of them, and his brothers as well. I’ve always come from a family where we like to have ownership in what we do. I’ve thought a lot about that when it comes to my future and what I want to go to school for, which is why if I go to IU, I want a minor in HR management. That would give me the opportunity to own my own PT practice one day. I like to be in control. I feel more at peace if I am instead of not knowing what’s to come.”
Similarly, senior Mayrgrace Rykowski takes inspiration from her family on her route to Notre Dame to study chemical engineering.
“My dad and grandpa are both chemical engineers who have inspired me to choose this career path, and, in addition, math, physics, and chemistry are my favorite subjects,” said Rykowski. “I am very excited to experience the Notre Dame culture through dorm life, football games, and other unique traditions at the school. However, I am the most nervous about the amount of work and effort required to receive a chemical engineering degree because it is a difficult, competitive major that I will be studying at a university with many intelligent students.”
On the other hand, some seniors are more than ready to leave home for the next step on their respective journeys. Moving out of state, senior Grace Troxell has found her fit at the University of Louisiana at Monroe where she will play volleyball and major in psychology, hoping to become a psychiatrist.
“I chose this because I have always known I wanted to go out of state and when I visited the school I knew it was the perfect fit for me and I knew that they had a pretty good psychology program,” Troxell said. “I am most excited to meet so many new people and being able to have a fresh start.
Many others reflect similar excitement in the new opportunities befalling them. Senior Elise Baker plans on attending Central Michigan University to study biochemistry and play softball.
“I am most excited to meet new people and play the sport I love at the collegiate level. I am nervous to be so far away from my friends and support system here at Roncalli,” Baker said. “In five years, I see myself starting either med school or optometry school to continue my journey to the medical field.”
While many seniors plan on furthering their education through college, there are numerous other paths seniors look to take and leave their mark other than a traditional 4-year institution.
Although she first plans to attend IU Indianapolis for global and international affairs, senior Olivia Bodrick hopes to travel the world and make her impact through The Peace Corps.
“I’m ready to graduate” Bodrick said, a common sentiment recently for seniors. “I’m excited to finally start learning things. I feel like college has a wider perspective and more choices than what Roncalli offers. Once you get to college, you can learn more about your interests and hobbies and apply that to your future job. With the Peace Corps, they have two options. You can go for two years or for six months. I thought I could get that experience of two years in another country and help out there. I get satisfaction from traveling, but I also get it from actually helping people and making a change in a small part of a country.”
Similarly, senior Caroline Crews hopes to make her impact and live her dream of joining a military academy, with West Point as her first choice and having a letter of assurance from the Air Force. After those four years, she plans on serving a contract as a JAG or in some other form of military intelligence.
“I have always wanted to go into law since I was little,” Crews said. “As for the military aspect, that did not emerge until the beginning of my junior year. I have a multitude of military members in my family on my Dad’s side, so I have always been exposed to that world. I was always asked about it growing up but I saw the way it affected some of my family members and family friends and that deterred me from it. After research and talking to the family members, I realized the military, especially the army, holds a lot of the values I revere. I realize the challenge going there would pose and I look forward to the opportunity for growth it would gift me.”
Senior Gerard McGee also hopes to join a military academy, specifically the Merchant Marine Military Academy and then serve as an officer for at least 20 years, but is certainly open to even more adventurous paths, claiming a plan B of backpacking the Pan American Highway.
“I used to be horrified of not making it to an academy, or falling short of others’ expectations; now I am all the more excited for the spontaneity and not knowing what is to come,” McGee said. “I am excited to start everyday with the chance of everything falling out, just because I know I will be able to land on my feet and be all the better for it.”
Also excited to see what life will bring them, senior Katelyn Small plans on entering the workforce, currently working on obtaining an event planning certification, then, looking at getting one in luxury wedding/event planning
“I am most excited to just see where life takes me,” Small said. “Whether that is planning for an event facility, starting my own business, or working with a specific company. Something that made me choose event planning despite wanting to go to college was how the world is today. My parents helped me decide it would be better for me to start off my adult life in the world without student debt and jump right into a job!”
Senior Ava Mahin plans on attending a vet tech Institute to become a vet tech.
“The reason I chose this path is because I have always had a deep connection with animals, and I always want to help animals,” Mahin said. “I am really excited to be able to hands on work with animals and experience college life.”
While interviewing my classmates for these articles, one thing that struck me was just how many of these students were quick to mention that their faith was their main takeaway from their four years here. Here are some of their responses:
“I want to take my faith with me everywhere I go, because I am blessed to have it implemented into my daily life here,” Ash said.
“The best thing I’ll take from Roncalli is my faith,” Bauman said. “Even just this year, I’ve grown so much in my faith, and Roncalli really helps nourish that. Going away, I feel like I have a good foundation to continue the lifestyle I lead.”
“I have learned much from Roncalli outside of the classroom that I will take with me later in life, including the importance of being a reliable and compassionate person for others, achieving goals through teamwork and collaboration, and relying on my Catholic faith in making decisions and overcoming challenges,” Rykowski said.
“I will take the faith that Roncalli has shown me. They have given me a stronger faith than I ever thought I would have,” Troxell said.
“One thing I will take away from Roncalli is that my faith is the most important thing I can lean on in college and in life,” Baker said. “Even though a lot will be changing, God will be with me wherever I go.”
“Mrs. Miller encouraged me when I was told unkind things during my interviews,” Crews said. “She reminded me of my worth as a child of God.”
“I will absolutely be taking what I have learned about my faith at Roncalli with me through the rest of my life,” Small said. “Without God, none of this is possible and I have to trust that He is always with me in everything I do!”
“I think I will take my faith experiences from Roncalli because I know a lot of people after graduating forget their faith,” Mahin said
Writing this article gave me an excuse to talk with some of my classmates about their college plans, which I likely wouldn’t have had the pleasure of doing so otherwise. Chatting over topics ranging anywhere from my classmates’ biggest dreams to whatever we’re most worried about for next year made me realize just how much we are all going through this together. Not a single one of us can say for certain where we’ll be next year, let alone in five, but I find comfort in knowing that we will always be tied by these four years together, regardless of whether they were the best years of your life, or not. I know for certain I cannot say I had the perfect high school experience, but I hope this connection as the Roncalli class of 2026 means as much to you as it does to me, and when we run into each other again, that you’ll be just as glad to catch up with a familiar face.
