For both Yvette and TJ, student life experiences were foundational. During her time at Messmer, Yvette immersed herself fully in co-curriculars, joining the drill team, performing in musicals, serving on student council, and ultimately becoming captain of a state championship cheerleading squad. Those experiences, she says, built confidence, discipline, and leadership, while creating bonds that have lasted decades. TJ, who transferred to Messmer his senior year, found a similar sense of belonging through basketball and his work behind the scenes in theater productions.

His decision to transfer was shaped by friendship. “Paul Groshek ’84 and I became friends in grade school and was one of the primary reasons I transferred to Messmer in my senior year,” TJ recalls. After his family moved, he wanted to spend his final year somewhere he felt connected. That choice quickly proved meaningful. “The Messmer group was tight knit… it felt like home.”

That sense of connection defined their time at Messmer and continues to shape their lives today. Yvette credits influential relationships, including her friendship with classmate Julie Lemberger (née Turriff) ’84 and her inspiring English teacher, Kay Wifler, for leaving a lasting mark. For TJ, friendships formed early on reinforced the importance of community and shared experience.

After graduation, their journeys took different but complementary paths. Yvette initially pursued dance before ultimately earning her nursing degree from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, later advancing to become a Doctor of Nursing Practice specializing in neurology and neurosurgery. TJ continued his basketball career in college before building a successful career in financial services, eventually leading operations for Community Financial Service Centers in New York and New Jersey where he serves today. Along the way, they built a life together. After marrying in 1987, they raised six children while balancing family life with their growing careers. Today, they are the proud grandparents of four.

Both Yvette and TJ point to Messmer’s emphasis on dedication, community, and relationships as lessons that have endured. Whether through early morning practices, shared traditions, or lifelong friendships, the values instilled during those years continue to guide them.

“Looking back, my involvement at Messmer didn’t just fill my schedule,” recalls Yvette. “It built my confidence, taught me leadership, and created relationships and memories that have stayed with me for a lifetime.”

As the Musials’ story shows, the connections formed at Messmer don’t just shape four years. They can shape a life.