Leadership Rooted in Faith
Ben Grady’s path from FVL to military leadership, ministry, and service
When Ben Grady graduated from Fox Valley Lutheran High School as valedictorian in 2023, he already had a clear sense of purpose: use his gifts to lead, serve, and stay grounded in his faith. Today, at Michigan Technological University, that purpose has taken shape through Air Force ROTC, campus ministry leadership, and a future focused on service to others.
During his four years at FVL, Ben mastered the balance of academics, work, and extracurricular involvement. He worked different jobs throughout high school, participated in the musical pit orchestra, and took full advantage of dual-credit opportunities that allowed him to enter Michigan Technological University with 44 college credits already completed.
Those credits helped set the stage for Ben’s current path in the Air Force ROTC program at Michigan Tech, where he is preparing for a future in military leadership. Thanks to an ROTC scholarship, Ben chose Michigan Tech and is now pursuing opportunities in developmental engineering after graduation. Following college, he will begin a four-year active-duty service commitment with the Air Force.
Ben says FVL helped shape both his leadership skills and his faith life. During high school, he was part of the first group of FVL students to attend the WELS Leadership Conference, an experience that helped inspire the launch of FVL’s IMPACT program and a Sunday night Bible study group open to all students that continues today at President Loberger’s home.
That same passion for ministry has continued in college. Ben serves as treasurer for Michigan Tech’s WELS campus ministry, one of the largest WELS campus ministries in the country. Through the group, he has participated in mission work, including a spring break trip to Smyrna, Tennessee, where students partnered with local families and ministry efforts.
As he prepares for both marriage and military service, Ben remains focused on using his gifts to lead and serve others. Whether through engineering, the Air Force, or ministry opportunities, he credits FVL for helping lay the foundation for the next chapter of his life.
— Cody Bohl
Mission Advancement Counselor
