ATLANTA—Among the 2017 graduates from Holy Spirit Preparatory School this year was Matthew “Cole” Austin.

Cole served as the head boy and is the first student at this Atlanta independent Catholic high school to enroll in a college seminary.

In August, he will be attending St. Joseph Seminary College in Saint Benedict, Louisiana, where he will begin discerning a vocation to the priesthood as he completes his undergraduate academic work.

Cole, whose home is in McDonough, has been dedicated to service while he has been on campus. He was elected Head Boy and was a member of the ONE apostolate (a club dedicated to serving Atlanta’s homeless men, women and children) and Elder’s Friends (a club dedicated to visiting retirement homes).