As the Class of 2025 comes closer to graduating, the Newsroom asked this year’s Tommie Award finalists to share about their time at St. Thomas. Here are their responses.
Aidan McGill ’25
What’s your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
The most memorable moment at St. Thomas for me was getting to lead the men’s club soccer team to regionals for three straight years as president. It was really powerful seeing the team grow in skill but also as individual people. This team gave me the chance to learn so much about myself and become a better and more thoughtful leader.
What have you learned about yourself while at St. Thomas?
I have learned that I can’t do it all. I am the type of person to try and do everything by myself but my time at St. Thomas helped me realize that I need to rely on my friends and family to help me when times are tough. Being strong enough to ask for help is something that I would have never learned without the opportunities that St. Thomas gave me.
What is your advice for future Tommies?
My advice for future Tommies is to get involved as much as possible. Some of the most meaningful friendships and experiences that I’ve had were because I met people through clubs, events, games, etc. Reach out of your comfort zone to try something different and meet new people along the way!
What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation, I am lucky enough to be starting a job with Ameriprise Financial in downtown Minneapolis as a part of their Leadership Development Program. I am also blessed enough to be getting married in June!
Brecken Thomas ’25
What’s your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
My most memorable moment at St. Thomas was the sold-out men’s basketball game this year. After the last four years of working in athletics, I played a major role in making that game great for fans, and they packed it and created a great atmosphere for our team.
What have you learned about yourself while at St. Thomas?
At St. Thomas, I have learned that I am capable of more than I think. I have been pushed in class to apply concepts in simulations, and I have taken on positions within the Athletics Department that have stretched me further than I thought. Both of these have been an incredible point of my learning here.
What is your advice for future Tommies?
My advice to future Tommies would be to take chances and do things that you enjoy doing. Reach out to those business leaders in the industry who are alumni of St. Thomas – more times than not, they would love to talk to you. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and learn how to feel uncomfortable. It will only help you in the future.
What are your plans after graduation?
My plans after graduation are to be an employee of Post Consumer Brands as a member of their Operations Leadership Development Program rotational program with an emphasis on supply chain.
Jack Zupfer ’25
What's your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
As I reflect on my time at St. Thomas, the most memorable moments were when a large campus full of strangers began to feel like home. Many of these moments occurred freshman year as I enjoyed conversations over meals in the dining hall, competed alongside teammates, and experienced professors sharing their belief in me. It is the great friendships that I was lucky enough to enjoy that made my experience and I still remember a football game freshman year where I met the people who would turn out to be some of my closest and most influential friends throughout my time at St. Thomas.
What have you learned about yourself while at St. Thomas?
Entering St. Thomas, my identity was based on my sport, academics, friendships and activities. When what I do defines who I am, every bad performance, poor test, and rocky friendship made me question my identity. Since learning this, I have worked to place my identity in something outside of myself: in Christ and his unconditional love and love others unconditionally. A bad day no longer defines who I am because Christ’s love is not reliant on my performance or others’ opinions.
What is your advice for future Tommies?
Take your time to find “your people.” When you get to St. Thomas, you will meet lots of new people. Take the opportunity to find people who you admire and motivate you to be the person you want to be. For me it took a while to find people who inspired and motivate me. It is OK and normal to take a while to find “your people.”
What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation, I am going to be pursuing a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
