It’s not uncommon for ECCS graduates to go on to do amazing things, and in the case of 2026 graduate, Alexander Luna, those accomplishments started right after graduation. Over the summer, he participated in Student Leadership University (SLU), and received a huge honor through the program. 

SLU provides opportunities for young believers to develop into capable, confident leaders that will change the world, and Alexander says he first heard about the organization through his church. It involves a series of four conferences that take place all over the world and includes sessions and presentations from Christian leaders and thinkers, such as Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, Martial Artist James Sang Lee, and Professor John Lennox. The conferences also include experiences to help reinforce learning, like classes at SeaWorld Orlando, a memorials and monuments tour in Washington, DC, and walking the sands of Omaha beach. 

“SLU passionately believes that there is nothing better than learning about something in the presence of the thing itself. That is why they take such pains to make sure students get the chance not just to hear about what God has done, but to let them see it and experience it as well,” Alexander says. 

Alexander attended his third conference in Europe over the summer.  It focused on showing students how God has worked throughout all of history to display His glory and power. “European history is riddled with examples of God’s great love in action, from the life of John Newton to the Ministry of the Wesley brothers to the halls of Saint Paul’s Cathedral. The lessons that students can learn from this history are invaluable for a young leader,” he says. “I know that God worked through these lessons to draw me closer to Him and make me a better leader and disciple for Christ.” 

Another way in which Alexander participated in SLU was through an essay contest, which was optional. The essay topic focused on a leadership lesson that can be drawn from history, and he chose to write about the failures of the British Parliament leading up to the American Revolution. Alexander was one of eight winners out of around 400 students participating in SLU. All the winners were invited to participate in one of two wreath laying ceremonies at Normandy American Cemetery. 

“This was a huge honor and surprise. I honestly was not expecting to win, but I am so thankful to God for this opportunity to honor those who sacrificed so much for our liberty,” he says. “Evangel taught me to see the glory and the hand of God in all things, especially and particularly in the Western Tradition. To get to walk in the footsteps of the Wesley Brothers, C.S. Lewis, and the U.S. Army Rangers on Pointe du Hac was in many ways a fulfillment of years of classical 

training.” 

Alexander also credits ECCS for preparing him for receiving this honor by teaching him how to write well and concisely. “The word limit for the essay was only 400 words. Communicating my ideas concisely was hard, but thanks to my parents’ help and my Evangel training, I was able to say what I wanted to say in the space that was given to me.” 

We are so proud of Alexander on this recent accomplishment and thankful to see our ECCS graduates doing amazing things even after they leave our halls.