In just 10 short years, the Vanguard graduating class of 2008 has accomplished so much and have many reasons to celebrate their first decade after high school. Many are working in the financial sector; there are those who are teaching and those who are continuing their education; but they all have one thing in common: fond memories of their time at Vanguard.

Brad SoRelle attended Hendrix College after graduation. There he earned a degree in biology with a minor in chemistry. He worked as an animal care specialist at the Frank Buck Zoo and Fossil Rim Wildlife Center before choosing to return to school. Brad is currently working on his professional science master’s degree in zoo, aquarium and animal shelter management at Colorado State University. He said that he learned critical thinking and understanding different points of view while participating in debate at Vanguard, with his favorite teacher, Howard Mulholland.

Dr. Lauren (Wood) Gibson also chose to pursue science after Vanguard. She attended Baylor University, graduating in 2012 with a degree in psychology. Last year she graduated from Texas Women’s University with her doctorate in physical therapy. She works as a physical therapist at Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation in Dallas. She treats patients with a wide range of diagnoses, including traumatic brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury and several orthopedic conditions. “My favorite Vanguard memory is everything about senior year,” Lauren said. Several other 2008 classmates responded to Vanguard’s questionnaire with updates from their past 10 years.

Timothy Latimer

Education: University of Tulsa.

Currently: I just finished the MBA program at Stanford University, and I have started a clean energy development company based in San Francisco.

Favorite Vanguard Memory of Teacher: Making the senior lounge our own and all the good times we had there.

Megan Welch

Education: Southern Methodist University

Currently: Getting MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business and will go into O&G investing after graduation.

Favorite Vanguard Memory of Teacher: Loved when Brennan made the senior lounge his construction zone and outfitted the entire thing with speakers to play Sandstorm.

Nicholas Deaver

Education: Baylor and the University of Strthclyde (MSc)

Currently: Living in Waco, and working at American Bank.

Favorite Vanguard Memory or Teacher: Watching “The Masters” in the computer lab.

Everything about the senior lounge was a highlight.

Jean Margaret (Carter) Wright

Education: Baylor University (BA) and Texas Women’s University (MHA)

Currently: Living in Waco, and working at Methodist Children’s Home.

Rebecca (Mull) Janes

Education: Baylor University (BBA) and Houston Baptist University (MEd)

Currently: Teaching first grade in Houston. Favorite Vanguard Memory of Teacher: Weekly lunches with the junior guys and out-of-town golf tournaments, but, really, I just loved everything about senior year so much!

Caroline (Blum) Stevenson

Education: Baylor University and Louisiana College (MAT)

Currently: Field Marketing and Sales Specialist at a financial technology company in Austin, Texas.

Favorite Vanguard Memory of Teacher: Senior lounge and off-campus lunches!

Monica Hart Education: Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University (J.D.)

Currently: I live in Dallas and practice real estate law at Thompson & Knight.

Favorite Vanguard Memory of Teacher: So many things about senior year – having two mods plus art class, spending free time with everyone in the lounge, painting parking spots (Ginnie and I decided to paint ours by spotlight after midnight so the paint wouldn’t crack in the heat), and, of course, Disney!

Jonathan Neel

Education: Texas State University

Currently: Living in Austin, Texas, and working for a supply chain start-up.

Favorite Vanguard Memory of Teacher: Racing to Shipley’s Donuts in between second and third mods.

Jillian Lenamon

Education: Universit, of Mississippi

Currently: I live in Birmingham, Alabama with my fiancé, dog and two cats. I work as an administrative assistant at a law firm.

Favorite Vanguard Memory of Teacher: Everything! But especially our class – we were the goofiest and always knew how to make each other laugh.

Ginnie Lowder

Education: University of Texas at Austin – Architecture

Currently: Interior Design and teaching Pure Barre in New York City.

.