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Logan Sanders, a senior Mechanical Engineering major, spent much of his junior and senior years navigating something far more complex than thermodynamics or machine design. The summer before his junior year, he was diagnosed with a Grade 3 Astrocytoma, a rare, fast-growing brain tumor. (Above left: Sanders is ringing the bell after his final round of chemotherapy; at right, Sanders with his mother, brother, and his brother’s girlfriend.)

“About a year before I was officially diagnosed, I was having bad migraines, mostly in the mornings, that persisted over a long time,” Sanders said. After mentioning the headaches to his primary care provider, an MRI was immediately ordered. The scan revealed a mass measuring approximately 10 x 6 x 7.8 centimeters in his right frontal lobe.

On Aug. 2, 2024, Sanders underwent a right frontal craniotomy to partially remove the mass, and what followed was six weeks of radiation and a year of chemotherapy. He completed treatment just three months ago.

Through it all, he remained a full-time student. He recalled going to his 10 a.m. class, then his mom would drive him to radiation and bring him back for his class at noon. Even though he was drained physically and emotionally, he persevered, and he credits his support system for sustaining him.

“I really draw my strength from the people who support me. I had a great care team throughout this entire process,” he said. But it was his own strength and determination that got him through this and inspired others.

“It’s very difficult for a parent to watch their child go through this,” his mother, Mary Lux ’00  said. “But it’s been inspiring to see him get through this journey. Not that I didn’t already know, but he taught me to keep going and to think of the positives in life.”

On campus, Sanders found another source of strength: ������ý��Ƶ Chorale. A baritone who has performed with the ensemble for all four years, music has long been part of his identity, from singing in high school to serving as a drum major in his marching band.

“������ý��Ƶ Chorale has been a big part of my college career,” he said. “Dr. Boulton will forever be like a second mother to me. Her understanding throughout all of this has been beyond incredible.”

He said fellow Chorale members offered something he deeply appreciated: normalcy.

“They didn’t treat me differently for having cancer after I was diagnosed,” Sanders said. “It felt like most others walked on eggshells around me, but they didn’t feel the need to. That speaks to the amount of community in that group.”

Today, Sanders says he feels closer to himself again.

“I feel the most ‘normal’ I have in a long time, and I’m grateful that I can feel that way after a long time of feeling not so normal,” he said. While he still deals with occasional headaches, he keeps perspective. “I think there’s a lot of people out there who have it much worse than I do.”

With graduation approaching, Sanders is looking forward to a milestone that once felt uncertain. “I can’t wait to graduate and get a job. I’m not any different from the rest of the students here at ������ý��Ƶ in that regard,” he explained.�� 

Through surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, rehearsals, exams, and everyday college life, Sanders has continued moving forward, engineering not only a degree, but a powerful example of resilience for the entire ������ý��Ƶ community.

������ý��Ƶ President James Shadid echoed that thought, saying, “Logan is the type of student Lydia Moss ������ý��Ƶ envisioned when she founded this university: a leader committed to making a meaningful difference in the world.

“After meeting him and hearing his story, I hope others are as inspired by his strength and perseverance as I am.”

Sanders hopes his experience raises awareness and encourages people to support causes like the .��

—Emily Potts