Drew Bemis ’27: Renaissance Man
The Apostle most aptly described as a “renaissance man” would be St. John the Evangelist. Author of a Gospel, three epistles, and the book of Revelation, St. John masterfully integrates his Christocentric theology with Greco-Roman philosophy through powerful artistic symbolism and broad literary range. Reading St. John’s works uniquely elevates the soul.
Drew Bemis ’27 also could be described as a renaissance man (and not just because he recently performed at the annual Texas Ren Fest). Drew was first drawn to the arts in elementary school, where a dynamic director inspired him to pursue choir. By the end of middle school, he was an accomplished violinist and thespian as well. Awestruck by Strake Jesuit’s tuxedo-clad Triple Trio serenading prospective students at Open House, Drew knew that he wanted to be involved in our fine arts community. Less than three years into his career as a Crusader, he has played the lead in Agatha Christie’s A Murder Is Announced, performed a solo in Handel’s Messiah, and been honored as an All-State vocalist.
But to pigeonhole Drew as an artist would be a disservice to his other passions. He recently followed in the footsteps of Christopher DeMoor ’22, Vilmos Lo ’23, and John Greeley ’23 in receiving the Chicago Pritzker Molecular Engineering Medal of Distinction, awarded to fewer than 100 high school students across the country who show exceptional promise in the world of STEM. With the award comes scholarship money and internship opportunities, provided the recipient attends the University of Chicago. While Drew hasn’t settled on a college decision yet, UChicago boasts its own Double Triple Trio, and they just so happen to specialize in Renaissance music!
Yet, even more impressive than Drew’s eclectic resumé (did I mention that he is an Eagle Scout and a competitive swimmer in the butterfly?) is his commitment to his faith. In my decade of teaching, never before have I had a freshman bounding into my classroom on a Monday morning excited to discuss the homily he heard preached on Sunday, but this became a weekly tradition for us. Drew’s first mature engagement with his Catholicism had been through the Scouts’ Ad Altare Dei program, which introduced him to the beauty of the Sacraments and required that he take notes on the readings at Mass. Instead of simply coasting along in the ensemble as a “C&E Catholic,” Drew became obsessed with discovering the depths of his faith, assuming a personal sense of discipleship as a main character in his own act of the
Theo-drama.
Though he initially had planned on attending a public high school, Drew was captivated by the chance to explore his Catholicism with the support that only Strake Jesuit could offer. He recently reflected that, “Public school would have treated me like a problem to be solved, or maybe a problem that had already been solved and therefore could be ignored. But Strake Jesuit treats me like a possibility and encourages me to thrive as the best version of myself.” In keeping with the spiritual tradition of St. Ignatius, our students are encouraged to find God in all things, not just in a theology class. As a leader on the stage and in the classroom, Drew sees math and science as ways to discover more about God’s providence, and his favorite song to perform with Triple Trio is the Prayer for Generosity. His enthusiasm for and investment in his faith, along with his ability to integrate that faith into each aspect of his life, are distinctive and infectious.
It is perhaps equally likely that Drew will go on to become a Grammy-winning artist, a Nobel laureate in molecular engineering, or a Catholic priest (dare I say all three?). It is no coincidence that he has chosen St. John as his Confirmation Saint, forever committing to embrace his own faith through the lens of the most multifaceted evangelist.
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