November 12, 2025
I wanted to sincerely thank you for the warm welcome during my recent visit. Being back at Crossroads brought back so many wonderful memories of my time there during the 2006/07 school year.
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me and show me around — it truly meant a lot. It was so special to see so many of you again and to be able to express just how much that year in St. Louis and at Crossroads meant to me.
As discussed, I’m also sending you a short bio along with some personal memories of my time at Crossroads, for you to use as you see fit.
After my exchange year at Crossroads, I completed high school in Austria and went on to earn an undergraduate degree in International Relations and Media Communication from Webster University Vienna. I then completed a Master’s degree in International Security Studies at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, followed by law school in Vienna.
After graduating, I worked for more than three years as a legal advisor for the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior. I subsequently went through Austria’s highly competitive, one-year selection process for the judiciary, was accepted, and completed the mandatory three-year judicial training program. In 2023, I passed the final judicial examination and, since March 2024, I have been serving as a judge at a district court in Vienna, where I preside over civil and family law cases.
My memories of Crossroads remain incredibly vivid and dear to me. Even before school officially started, I was able to attend the school picnic, where I met some of my future classmates. Volleyball practice had already begun as well, and I was warmly welcomed and immediately included — I had actually decided to apply to Crossroads after seeing a volleyball player featured on a school brochure!
One of my favorite early memories is when some teammates took me to the Galleria mall after one of the first practices — and to the Cheesecake Factory. I had never experienced anything like “hanging out in shopping malls” before — I had a great time!
By the time school officially started, I already felt comfortable and at home — and that feeling lasted throughout the entire year. I appreciated the small class sizes, the important role sports played at the school (after volleyball season, I also joined the basketball and soccer teams), and the opportunity to choose some of my classes and levels myself.
I remember analyzing French poetry in AP French with just two or three classmates, discovering a love for American literature in “Introduction to US Literature” (and learning how to properly structure essays!), dissecting a squid and a rat (which we named “Hans”) in Biology, and exploring American history through hands-on projects — so different from what I was used to in Austria. I still remember celebrating “Pi Day” in Math class and driving through St. Louis with our art teacher to distribute our self-designed coffee sleeves to cafés around the city.
Everything felt so personal and community-oriented, and the teachers were deeply committed to encouraging our critical thinking, emphasizing the value of community, and treating us as individuals — each with unique strengths and potential for growth.
My year at Crossroads had a lasting impact on me, personally and academically, and I will always be grateful for it. Thank you for everything!