Be the Reason: Meet Eric Piening
Saint Louis University School of Science and Engineering Student
Eric Piening’s affinity for science and service led him to pursue a pre-med curriculum at Saint Louis University. His experiences here are not only deepening those passions but also preparing him for a lifetime of serving others in his community. Donors help make it possible.
“Scholarships have enabled me to experience less financial pressure so I can dedicate more time to my studies and my extracurriculars outside of working,” Piening said. “That is something that I'm incredibly grateful for because I feel like it's really allowed me to be present in my education and to really get the most out of the academic experiences and the extracurricular experiences that I can receive.”
Caring for the Whole Person
A biochemistry major at SLU who expects to graduate in May 2026, Piening has already
started doing research at the School of Medicine in an immunology lab looking at how
obesity affects responses to cancer and cancer immunotherapy in mice models. Accepted
to a research program with Siteman Cancer Center over the summer, he is also active
in SLU’s service community.
“I myself come from a Jesuit high school, and so I really like the continuity with
the mission of cura personalis, caring for the whole person,” he said.
During the academic year, Piening tutored at two area schools through Overground Railroad,
was involved with the Labre ministry for the unhoused and participated in service
through his fraternity at the St. Louis-area Women's Safe House. He also volunteered
in the SSM Saint Louis University Hospital emergency room, allowing him to interact
with patients and their families.
“SLU has really allowed me a place to grow and experience so many different things,
whether that be through meeting people who I've become very close with, or taking
different courses that I'm interested in and experiencing different things academically,”
he said.
Receiving Support
After graduation, Piening hopes to be accepted into a school of medicine and to further explore areas of interest he’s developed through shadowing experiences he’s had so far, which include surgery, primary care, internal medicine and dermatology, along with emergency medicine.
Ultimately, donor support enabled him to attend a school he loves and to really get the most out of his college education, Piening said. Among other awards, he has received the Vice President’s Scholarship and the Philip H. Reither, Jr. Scholarship Fund for graduates of Saint Louis University High School.
“Before researching it, I never really had thought about how much college was going to cost,” he said. “And then when you go through these preliminary searches online, you see all these, you know, huge numbers, or it can cost thousands and thousands of dollars to go to school. And then coming here — with different sorts of financial aid and scholarships — that has really been alleviated.”
You can be the reason Saint Louis University students like Eric Piening are able to access a transformative education. Make your gift today.