Where Are They Now? Lucas Eggers, Macalester College ’25

Written by CIT Consultant Tiffany Eggers

Lucas Eggers, from Rochester, MN, is a current junior at Macalester, a liberal arts college in Saint Paul, MN, majoring in Geography and minoring in Classical Archaeology. A 2021 graduate of Choate Rosemary Hall, a boarding school in Connecticut, he is happy he returned to the Midwest for college. Lucas has had adventures he never could have foreseen when he was applying. 

As a Macalester College student, Lucas has been able to do a fair amount of globe-trotting. On January 2nd, Lucas heads to the University of Cape Town, South Africa, for six months through the Globalization, Environment, and Society Program, a study abroad consortium created by Macalester, Pomona, Swarthmore, and the University of Cape Town. Lucas loves to learn about the world. During his first year, he took a course entitled Blacks in Paris, culminating with several weeks in France in June. This past summer, he spent two months on an archeological dig in Israel and a month in Ecuador flying drones and studying the Amazon in Ecuador with a Macalester professor. 

What have you enjoyed most about your college experience? 

The incredible opportunities to participate in things I never thought I’d find myself doing! Excavating a Roman bathhouse… delving into the heart of a Tony Kushner play… harvesting carrots at an organic co-op farm!

What has surprised you about your college experience? 

One thing that struck me early on is how approachable and welcoming the professors can be. I have never felt like a nameless student in some big lecture hall – instead, each time I go to office hours or meet with a professor, it’s a warm and helpful experience. 

What specific major are you studying and what experiences confirmed this is a good choice for you? 

Geography was my first love, and it remains what I’m studying primarily now – there are so many ways to apply spatial thinking, from surveys to satellites. I picked up archaeology almost by chance through a Cultural Resource Management class. When I dug my first hole and screened out those bits of pottery, I realized how much I loved working to uncover history through material culture. I’m a junior now and am still trying to figure out how I want to proceed after college, but I’ve realized that I want to end up somewhere I can make a real social impact — that’s a value Macalester emphasizes a good deal. 

What is your best tip for making the most of the first year of college? 

Your first year of college can be (indeed, it almost always is) extremely hectic, but I’d advise you to try to avoid rushing through it. Focusing on the next assignment to turn in is great, but what really matters is getting out there and connecting with people. Join clubs, hang out late into the night, and explore off-campus. Those are the moments that will stick with you long-term.

Reflecting upon your college search: what advice would you give high school students searching for the right fit?

You’ll typically spend four years there, so the number one person your college choice should excite is you. The prestige of a school’s name, on its own, won’t make your experience more enjoyable. Even though it can be tricky, try to value your gut feelings and preferences throughout this process. I turned down the University of Chicago and Ivy League offers to go to a small liberal arts college in my home state; that decision came down to many things, like academic/departmental strengths, flexibility, financial aid, and being in a great urban location. Ultimately, the most significant thing was that Macalester felt right, and it was the school I was most excited about attending. That’s what I think of when people say fit, and the only person who can feel it (or not feel it) is you, the student. 

Anything else you’d like to tell us?

Talk to current students, especially those who aren’t paid or otherwise incentivized, to tell you what you want to hear! Asking students’ opinions on the school is one of the best ways to listen to real talk. Go Scots! (Yes, Macalester’s mascot is Mac the Scot. Yes, he has a bagpipe.)