By Cecilia Pietrowski – Staff Reporter 

Jonathan Law Class of 2026 graduate Cooper Pietrowski has begun his first year of college at Albertus Magnus College in Connecticut, playing his first season of college golf, and majoring in Business Management. 

When Pietrowski reflects on his freshman year in high school, he remembers the struggle of persevering. Now he gets to look back on all his hard work paying off.  

“My freshman high school self would probably be proud to see how far I’ve come with golf, and that I’m able to compete at the college level,” Pietrowski said. “I would tell myself to keep working hard, stay calm and enjoy it because it’s going to go by quick.”

Pietrowski has transitioned smoothly from high school to college, and is excited to learn more about his major. 

“I decided to major in Business Management because I’ve always been interested in the business side of sports, and how organizations operate,” Pietrowski said. “I also feel like this major will open up a lot of career opportunities for me in the future.”

College life for Pietrowski doesn’t just entail sports and academics. Pietrowski has been enjoying new opportunities when it comes to meeting new faces, and adjusting to the college setting. 

“The transition from high school to college has been pretty smooth, and I’ve met lots of new friends; it’s been fun adjusting to college life,” Pietrowski said. “I’ve been busy playing on the golf team at Albertus Magnus, focusing on my major, and getting involved in the college scene.”

Pietrowski wasn’t able to get to where he is without the support of Mr. Maurutis – his advisor and golf coach through his high school years. Maurutis pushed Pietrowski to play golf and the outcome is now his whole world. 

“Cooper was one of those players that struggled at first, however with his dedication, perseverance, and love for the game, he has greatly improved his golf game,” Maurutis said. “My biggest piece of advice to Cooper is to enjoy every moment and take full advantage of the opportunities college provides.”

Moving on to college doesn’t erase everything from the past. Pietrowski still manages to keep in touch with some of his closest friends. 

“We manage to stay in touch because we are both in state, and can occasionally hang out on the weekends,” Class of 2026 Law graduate Gavin Swift said. “Sure, it’s fun to move on to college, but I still have to hang on to the people I made memories with in high school.”