Simply put, life is made of choices. Some good, some bad, but in all, every choice helps to shape who we become. The choice to attend Saint John’s University was a decision that positively impacted my life in a variety of ways. It was not only the school community that impacted me, but more importantly, the people in the community that I was surrounded with for four years.
I visited many schools in the area around St. John’s University, but I could not get away from the feeling that Collegeville was the place for me. Growing up, I was able to see both my brother and sister attend Saint John’s University and the College of Saint Benedict in Central Minnesota. The friends they made, the experiences they shared, and the liberal arts education they received was something I couldn’t look away from.
Attending a liberal arts college and being required to take classes in a variety of subjects, I was able to expand my horizons in my interests and beyond. Although I was a communications major, being able to take business classes proved to be invaluable to me when I was in the process of starting my own photography business while still in school.
Saint John’s University gave me the opportunity to find my passion not only in the classroom but also outside of the classroom in my campus work-study position within the athletics department. My classroom education exposed me to subjects that helped shape my understanding of the world, and my work-study position helped me to create and refine my technical skills within photography and graphic design.
Who I am and what I do would not be possible without Saint John’s University. Receiving a liberal arts education helped to make everything possible. The faculty, staff and students helped to create a special community throughout my four years. Life is made of choices, and I made a great one when I decided to attend Saint John’s University.
Brace Hemmelgarn was named to his full-time role of team photographer in January of 2014 after spending the previous three seasons in a part-time role with the club.
Hemmelgarn, 24, is responsible for photography needs throughout the organization, digital archiving, photo requests, and publication layout and design.
Working in a freelance role since 2008, Hemmelgarn has worked with clients such as Major League Baseball, USA Today Sports Images, University of Minnesota Athletics, and St. Cloud State University Athletics, among others. His work has appeared in a variety of publications including: Sports Illustrated, ESPN: The Magazine, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and Topps Trading Cards.
After graduating from St. Cloud Cathedral High School, Hemmelgarn attended Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, where he played baseball and graduated in the spring of 2012 with a degree in communications.
A native of St. Cloud, Minnesota, Brace makes his home in Minnetonka, Minnesota.