Patrick Lucey has always felt at home at Castleton. It only took one visit to campus during Accepted Students Day for the senior, who is studying History at Castleton, to make the decision to become a Spartan.
A self-described “underachiever” in high school, Lucey took advantage of opportunities to get involved in the Castleton community. Lucey, who is originally from Barre, Vermont, is the current president of the Student Government Association and a former SGA delegate, a member of International Club, a Phi Alpha Theta National Honor Society member, and is a regular name on Castleton’s dean’s list.
At Castleton, Lucey discovered not only more about himself, but also those he was living and learning with.
“Some of my favorite memories in the past four years were late nights with friends, doing homework late, finding something relatable while we venture higher education together. I also really enjoyed the memories of being part of various clubs here at Castleton. I made some lifelong friends that I will be forever grateful for,” he said.
Being in a welcoming, respectful, and supportive community was important for Lucey when considering colleges. He found that at Castleton. He found that in his friends and teammates, as well as in faculty and staff.
“Faculty and staff have helped me prepare for my life after Castleton by being mentors and life coaches, even If they did not intend to be,” Lucey said. “I really appreciate two people in particular; my advisor Dr. Adam Chill, and Matthew Patry, director of student activities. These two gentlemen have engrained a lot in me these past four years, changing my life for the better. It would be unfair if I did not mention them as part of me being successful here at Castleton.”
Lucey has some big plans for after graduation. He intends to move to Honduras, a small country located in Central America, to join his fiancé, who he met during her time as a Global Ugrad student at Castleton in 2019. There, his goal is to build his own business.
“I purchased two acres of a coffee plantation and plan on selling my coffee, as well as one day soon, opening up a café for all to enjoy,” he said. “It may not be the conventional route working a 9-5 job, but I have always been passionate about starting my own business with fair and ethical trade, treating customers and employees fairly. I encourage all to follow their dreams. They may just end up coming true."