Cameron Luce struts into the banquet room at The Potpourri House after work with half a smile and his hands tucked into his pockets in front of his navy blue blazer afraid of nothing.
“He is very charismatic, he knows how to charm people,” said Matthew Ethridge,16, longtime buddy and also a student at TJC. “He makes a great first impression.”
Cameron Luce is a 16-year-old successful college student. He has traveled the world and has hefty goals for the future.
He was born in Tulsa, Okla. to Ron and Katie Luce, founders of the Christian organization Teen Mania, an international organization that helps teenagers spread the gospel throughout the world.
Luce keeps very busy with two jobs and maintaining his grades as a pre-med student all while wearing a snappy wardrobe.
He wants to be a plastic surgeon and, similar to his father, hopes to use his talents internationally.
He wants to be a plastic surgeon and, similar to his father, hopes to use his talents internationally.
“I want to move overseas to be a plastic surgeon for cleft pallet repair and growth removal and that kind of thing,” said Luce without hesitation like he has known what he has wanted to do for a long time in spite of being very young.
His greatest desire is to use his skills in Southeast Asia, which must be a significant place considering his travels. He has been to all 50 states and every continent except Antarctica.
Before jumping from continent to continent performing life altering surgery this ambitious teenager needs to finish college first.
Luce graduated from Good Shephard when he was 15 years old because he utilized the dual credit program through TJC. He is currently enrolled in six classes and hopes to finish soon so he can attend Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla. where his two sisters, father, and mother graduated.
Being 16 years old and attending college with older students can be difficult for many people, but Luce seems to be comfortable wherever he is.
“He fits in pretty well,” said Ethridge. “He adapts. He adapts pretty well in every situation.”
Even though he attends college, his parents are still aware that he is only 16.
“I would have to say that [my parents] have a watchful eye on where I spend my time,” said Luce shaping his words with care. “I usually have to call them whenever I am leaving TJC or leaving work.”
Luce gets to and from work and school in an envy evoking 1967 candy brandywine Mustang 5.0 that he built with his father from the ground up. He is in need both of his jobs because he and his dad split the cost of this unique and beautiful car.
Luce finds precious little time to socialize. His activity of choice is ping-pong, which he plays nearly every day at the Rogers Student Center. Ethridge described him as competitive.
“Right now, we play ping-pong a lot,” said Ethridge with a smirk. “I usually beat him.”
With school filling much of his time, Luce still manages to keep a job at The Potpourri House in Tyler. The people he works with notice his confidence.
“He can come across quirky.” said Anthony Cortez, a co-worker. “He is confident and a lot of fun to work with.”
Luce has many talents and goals. He has thought of running for student counsel at TJC, but may not have the time.
