#becauseofCJ: Gretchen Theil '15

Young alumni are sharing how they are succeeding after high school in our #becauseofCJ series. Through your gift to the CJ Annual Fund, you make this happen for all students. As Gretchen Theil '15 shares how CJ provided her with a community where all feel heard, seen, and loved, please consider joining others today in supporting the mission of CJ — thank you!

"Dear CJ Community,

It has been ten years since I first walked through the halls of Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School as a student. In those 10 years, I have seen not only the CJ community grow in terms of academic excellence, athletic prominence, and physical space, but I have also been honored to see my classmates, teachers, administrators, and of course, myself, grow and evolve since my time at CJ.  

A significant amount of my fondest memories and successes of the past decade occurred because of CJ. Because of CJ, I was encouraged to push myself academically, further than I have ever been pushed before, because the teachers took the time to get to know me and they saw my potential. That push from my friends and teachers at CJ followed me to college and as a result, I graduated early from The Ohio State University. Because of CJ, I was given the opportunity to study abroad in Spain and gained a more global perspective, which inspired my future academic and career paths. Because of CJ, I found my vocation for working with students and families during transitional moments in their academic and personal journeys. I can attribute some of my greatest successes of the past decade to the many people at CJ who encouraged me to try, try, and try again, until I was prepared academically, physically, mentally, and emotionally to take on all of the amazing opportunities life has granted me.

But that’s not even the best part. My favorite aspect of the CJ community is that they aren't just there when things are going well, they are there in the difficult times, too. Trust me, there have been plenty of those. Because of the CJ teachers, counselors, athletic trainers, and many other individuals, I was supported through quite a few injuries, personal losses during and after high school, and maybe even a not-so-great grade on a test every once and a while (no shame, we’ve all been there). The past ten years have been far from perfect, but I knew I could always count on my Eagle family to lift me up when I needed them most.

Because of CJ, I am filled with gratitude for the lessons of perseverance and grace I learned during my time as a student. In August 2019, I returned home to complete my Master of Science in Education with a focus in College Student Personnel at the University of Dayton. I will be the first to say that I never expected to return to Dayton after my undergraduate experience, and much less expected a global pandemic to inspire me to stick around! Before I graduated from UD, I was hired full-time in their Office of the Registrar, where I help students from their first day, to their graduation day, and beyond as alumni. Being in education as both a student and a staff member during a pandemic is (and continues to be) challenging, to say the least, but I am able to draw on the lessons of perseverance and grace I learned at CJ to get me through each day. 

Even ten years later, I still have a lot to learn about the world around me, who I am, and what I can do with the identities and abilities I hold. Because of CJ, I will continue to challenge myself to be better. By taking the time to learn more about CJ as an alumni, I recognize how valuable the community’s time, talents, and treasure are to an individual’s growth both during and after high school. Thank you to all of those who have given thus far and to all my fellow Eagles, please continue to give back to CJ in whatever way you can and help this community continue to grow as a place where all students, staff, and community members are heard, seen, and loved. We all have a lot to learn from the past so we can start building a brighter future, and that starts within our very own CJ community! 

As Mr. Marshall always said, God Bless and Go Eagles!"

Gretchen Theil ‘15
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