Eric Ticse ’21 Strikes Gold with Decision to Attend Syracuse
March 9, 2021
For many high school seniors, the college decision process is full of twists and turns that can leave students momentarily unsure of what they would like to pursue.
Eric Ticse ’21 felt that way during his junior year at CBA, as he began to look at options for his college career. With the help of his guidance counselor Mrs. Colleen Hayes, he finally found his best fit: Syracuse University.
“It was really exciting finding the place for me,” Ticse said. “Last year, I wasn’t really sure where I would be, but this year, we really found a path and struck gold on what I wanted to do.”
That gold is Syracuse’s Bandier Program of Recording and Entertainment at their Newhouse School of Communications. Ticse will be immersed in the music industry, including international studies, at least three internships, and opportunities to connect with music executives.
It is no surprise that Ticse decided to study the music industry at the collegiate level.
“Music has been a huge part of my life at CBA,” he said. “I knew I was passionate about music, but sophomore year we had a music appreciation class with Mr. [Christian] Lopez. He ushered me into the music program and I was thinking that it was maybe too late to get into [the music program], but he made understand that you can start whenever you want.”
And while he really didn’t get fully immersed in the CBA music program until junior year, Ticse has made up for any lost time. He is a member of both the Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo bands, while also taking his passion for music to a new level by starting his own Music Production Club.
Outside of music, Ticse has been plenty busy over his four years at the Academy. He has been a student-athlete on the cross country, track & field, and volleyball teams, while also being a member of Student Council, Model UN, SADD, and Robotics.
Ticse has appreciated his academic courses at the Academy as well. He looks back at his sophomore year Honors English class with Mr. David Villeta as a course that taught him how to think for himself and understand different perspectives.
“The classes from day one have helped me gain both the ability of observing and the insight to who I really am. All the faculty have given me the skills to understand myself and understand how I can use that to find the [college] for me. That really gave me confidence.”
Of course, that doesn’t mean there has not been some academic challenges that he has had to overcome during his CBA career.
Between the numerous essays and late nights studying, he doesn’t shy away from admitting that it caused some anxiousness early on. However, he can certainly see the value of it all as a senior.
“I look back and know I was able to get through all of that. It is the overall classwork, but also it’s the prompts, questions, and what really made you think. Finding ways to get through it and realizing that when I set out to do something, it will all work out. I think it will really prepare me for college next year.”
The realization of how ready he will be to tackle a college workload is part of the maturation process that so many Academy men go through. Ticse and his classmates have grown academically, socially, culturally, spiritually, and athletically during their four years in Lincroft.
“I have had a really diverse arrangement of extracurriculars at CBA. It has really shown me every bit of myself and the people around me,” he notes. “What it comes down to is having CBA as a constant relationship and having it help me grow musically or athletically. Just enjoying those experiences and finding meaning and reflecting on what I have done. That has really helped me mature overall.”