May 24, 2023
Looking back at his time in the Rockwood School District, Alex Musel feels fortunate with the abundance of options he had to further his educational and athletic ambitions.
And Musel took advantage of as many of those opportunities as he could and made the most of them.
His enrollment in the accelerated math program and the Center for Creative Learning (CCL) helped provide him with a good start in elementary school, and his involvement with the Early College Partnership (ECP) during his junior and senior years at Marquette High helped him finish strong.
The ECP is a full-immersion, early entrance to college program located on the campus of St. Louis Community College (STLCC)-Wildwood. Through the ECP, Musel will graduate with his Marquette diploma and associate degree 10 days apart.
“Rockwood has provided countless opportunities to allow me to go above and beyond and continuously challenge myself,” Musel said.
After graduation, Musel plans to attend Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, where he will study biology on the pre-medical track and play baseball at the NCAA Division III level.
He was a dual-sport athlete in baseball and swimming for the Mustangs during all four years of high school. He was also involved with Special Olympics and National Honor Society.
“My favorite memory is our baseball team winning the district title last year,” Musel said. “I have made so many great friends and memories during my time at Rockwood. I will miss it but am looking forward to the next chapter in my life.”
Musel also appreciates the impact his teachers – such as Spanish teacher Kelsey Smith and biology teacher Edward Scalf – made on him and his ability to enjoy learning.
Musel said he’s had an interest in being an orthopedic surgeon since watching surgery videos on YouTube at a young age. His time in Scalf’s class as a freshman went a long way toward confirming Musel’s intended career path.
“He did a great job of making the class exciting and sparking an interest for me in biology,” Musel said. “And Ms. Smith made the class incredibly fun for everyone involved. I was always so excited to come to class.”
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