Whether serving as the percussion captain in the marching band or as a Senior Retreat Team leader in Campus Ministry, Chris Rotelli ‘24 has set a great example of leadership for his fellow students to follow.

“Leaders like [Chris] set the tone for what happens, to help students shift their mindset to a growth mindset,” Band Director  Mr. Michael Loya said. 

Chris is thankful to have had the Jesuit community around him because he has created lasting memories with his peers.

“[Leading his first junior retreat] was an amazing experience where I got to interact with some really cool guys,” Chris said. “My favorite part of being in band is being able to create really awesome music. The ensembles I am involved in have amazingly talented musicians, and we create some seriously awesome music. Nothing, of course, compares to the friends I’ve made in band, as they are irreplaceable.”

Mr. Loya has helped Chris to reach his academic goals, and he appreciates Chris’s willingness to ask questions that others would shy away from.

“Chris has a super positive spirit and he is really respectful,” Mr. Loya said. “He is very objective and asks a lot of questions. He sets a great example of having a growth mindset – you can tell that he wants to actually achieve that growth by the questions he asks. He helps support other student’s learning who are not that outgoing. It is really fun to work with someone as inquisitive as Chris is.”

Keegan McManus ’24 is happy to have Chris as a fellow band member and has enjoyed watching him grow over the course of their time at Jesuit.

“My first impression of Chris was that he was a very outgoing and friendly person and that he is really easy to talk to,” Keegan said. “Since then, he has grown as a leader and grown in confidence.”

Mr. Loya believes Chris can achieve anything to which he sets his mind.

“He has the correct foundation and mindset to be able to handle all the curveballs that get thrown at him in life that can be a huge deterrent in a person’s successes,” Mr. Loya said. “I have no doubt that he is capable and I hope that he is able to conquer all of his challenges.”