Lutheran North News

Soloman Wallace - LN '19 Thanks His Grandparents, and Fellow Ravens, For What He Has Been Given

Making adjustments is nothing new for Soloman Wallace, a sophomore Raven Football player. But one adjustment has been easy—the transition to life as a Benedictine College Raven.

“My grandparents are so proud,” said Soloman. “They worked so hard for me and my sisters, and I’m going to pay them back in the way I earn everything I have. My Benedictine College scholarship saved my life. Without it, I don’t know where I’d be today.”

This past summer, Soloman, as well as Benedictine College Graduate Assistant, Tyler Shepard ’19, worked with Dr. Jacqueline and Rev. Eugene Rivers and the Seymour Institute in Boston.

The opportunity was made possible by a generous ongoing gift from Ray Fritz ’67.

Benedictine College has partnered with the Seymour Institute at Harvard University for the past three years.

Soloman and Tyler taught high school students in the W.E.B. DuBois Nubian Junior Research Fellowship. The object of the program is to teach African American students about the ancient African kingdom of Nubia, all the while encouraging the gaining of knowledge during life’s journey.

“My goal is to teach them that working hard now pays off at the end,” said Solomon.

He should know. When he was just five years old, Soloman and his younger twin sisters were forced to adjust to life without their mother, who passed away in an automobile accident. As a sophomore, he adjusted to life as a transfer student at Lutheran North High School in St. Louis, made possible by the sacrifices of the grandparents who raised him and his sisters and worked overtime to get him out of the public school system.

His own hard work in the classroom and on the gridiron led Solomon to his scholarship opportunity at Benedictine College, where he follows in the footsteps of his cousin, Larry Minner ’88, who also played football for the Ravens.

In addition to his football commitment, Soloman is a dedicated student worker in the Advancement Office and served diligently at the 49th Annual Scholarship Ball. He is also an active member of the Black Student Union. A finance major, Soloman plans to work in real estate or investment banking, or “wherever God calls me.”

Generous alumni and friends have made the Benedictine experience available for so many young Ravens like Soloman, who could not possibly be more grateful for what they have at Benedictine.

This article was originally published here.
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