Spotlight On: Ciarán Greer, CCES Class of 2024

 

If Ciarán Greer ‘24 were to pick one motto to live by, it would be to keep an open mindset at all times. This has led him to fearlessly try new things, to be open to engaging in difficult topics, and to always seek to learn from people – even if he might not agree with their perspectives.

 

Ciarán enrolled at CCES in the sixth grade as a self-described “quiet” middle schooler. Finding his place in a new school was an intimidating task at first, but CCES quickly grew into a beautiful and welcoming community. Ciarán says, “I’ve been fortunate to make some really great friends during my time here.”

 

During his four years of high school, Ciarán has been involved in a wide variety of school clubs and activities, but two areas have remained constant – running and creativity. Ciarán joined the Boys Cross Country and Track and Field teams as a 7th grader and fell in love with the sport immediately. Running has taught him a lot that applies to life as well – mainly the values of grit and patience. He says, “I have learned the ability to experience pain and be willing to go through the difficult to reach the beautiful.”

 

Creativity has always been important to Ciarán, but with his open-minded approach to life, it has led him down some different paths as he has jumped into a number of pursuits over these past few years. First, he started a sports podcast during the pandemic – partially out of being bored during quarantine and partially just because he loves sports and wanted to find a way to talk about it. He covered all American sports and Premier League soccer, with people all around the world tuning in for the episodes and eventually, he even signed with a British podcasting network! While his foray into podcasting only lasted a couple of years, it gave him valuable experience with editing and producing.

 

Then, last year Ciarán decided to join the journalism staff and fell in love with the entire process – from the development of a concept all the way to writing and editing pieces. He quickly integrated himself into the work and with the staff, becoming a valuable contributor and then being named editor for his senior year. When he reflects back on all that the team has accomplished this year, he’s extremely proud – viewership is the highest it has ever been, they cover a wide range of topics, and he’s been working with Ms. Gregory, US Librarian and Journalism Teacher, to expand CCES News into the other two divisions.

 

Discourse around difficult topics has never been something Ciarán has shied away from. If anything, he seeks it out, always welcoming a good debate. In Ciarán’s mind, a debate is simply the opportunity to learn about another person and a different perspective than one’s own. He says, “The ability to engage in difficult topics, with other perspectives, in a way that is respectful and open-minded, is an important skill for people to possess.”

 

Ciarán has certainly done his best to introduce his peers to the art of respectful debate, founding the Political Debate and History club this year. He says, “I want to help people have civil discussions about difficult topics and to educate people about things they might not learn in the classroom.”

Despite a schedule that is packed to the brim, Ciarán is also a member of the RC (Radio Control) Club and Spanish Club, and has made the Honor Roll three of his four years (9, 11, 12). He was selected to represent CCES at the annual S.C. Palmetto Boys State mock government program, where he was elected as "State Senator" by over 400 of his peers. He was a captain of the Cross Country team this year, making All-Region and All-State. He also added Honor Council and choir to his resume as a senior, never shying away from trying something new.   

 

When Ciarán started looking for colleges, his commitment to running and pursuing a variety of interests was at the forefront. He applied to a few schools – Davidson College, Sewanee, and The Citadel, but as soon as he visited Berry College in Rome, Georgia, it just felt right. He describes the “natural beauty” that makes the campus stand out and with the excellent history department and opportunity to continue his running career, it was the perfect fit. Ciarán plans to double major in History and Spanish, pursuing the prelaw track with hopes to attend law school in the future. He hopes to integrate service and faith into his life more fully, planning on being active in the Canterbury Club, the Episcopal Church’s college ministry.

 

Director of College Counseling, Linda Schulz, calls Ciarán “respectful, compassionate, and purposeful.” She says, “He is very intentional about pursuing his interests and his connection with others. It has been a joy to watch Ciarán develop as a leader and courageously take himself out of his comfort zone, always making the most of life.”

 

As Ciarán moves into a new chapter of life after graduation, his fearless pursuit of new things and grounded outlook on life will continue to guide him forward. As he did at CCES, Ciarán will no doubt integrate himself seamlessly into the fabric of Berry College, keeping an open mindset through it all.  

 

Name something the world could use a lot more of? Listening

Favorite period in history to study? Between WWI and WII, the Gilded Ages

If you could try one thing and know you wouldn’t fail, what would it be? Baseball

Current sports topic you enjoy debating?  The Celtics are going to win the NBA finals this year.

Tell us something most people probably don’t know about you. I threw out the first pitch of a Drive game before – I was four years old and won a raffle through Meals on Wheels.