Join us for “Rock Reflections,” a series celebrating Trinity alumni. From 48 states to countries worldwide, our graduates are making an impact, and we'll share their stories on Trinity's website and social media.
This week, we’re reflecting with Sacha Bojanowski '17
“Allez les Trefles,” said Class of 2017 alumnus Sacha Bojanowski. “That translates to ‘Go Shamrocks!’”
Part of Sacha’s path to greaTness was walked at Trinity. He was born in Narbonne, France, to an American father and a French mother. Sacha and his parents currently own and operate a winery in the small village of Saint-Jean-de-Minervois in southern France.
Sacha attended grade school at école Jean Jaures in Saint Chinian, in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Growing up, he would spend a few weeks each year with his grandmother, Ingrid Bojanowski, in Louisville. He attended a French high school for three years before relocating to the U.S. in 2016 to live with his grandmother and attend Trinity. Sacha’s father, John Bojanowski, attended Louisville’s Central High School with veteran Trinity science teacher Mike Budniak H’11.
“I didn’t speak English very well at the time,” Sacha said. “My dad wanted to help me improve it. He talked with Mr. Budniak, and they both thought that Trinity would be a safe place for me to get better at it. That ended up being the case.”
Sacha’s parents, John and Nicole, met in Narbonne. John worked for American Power Convertor. He had moved to Paris after studying Russian and Polish at Brown University.
“It was right about the time the Berlin Wall fell in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and my dad’s territory was Eastern Europe. It was crazy in that part of Europe at the time,” Sacha said. “A college friend of my mom’s told her he’d show us the ‘real France,’ and we moved to our small village.
Frenchy at Trinity
Sacha entered Trinity as a senior in August 2016. It was his first time living full-time in the U.S. He immediately got involved in school life, and his classmates quickly took to calling him “Frenchy.”
Despite having never played the game, he joined the football team, playing punter and safety for the 2016 state-champion Rocks. He played rugby in the spring.
“I didn’t know the rules of football but thought it would be fun since I had played rugby for my entire life. They didn’t seem very different to me,” Sacha said. “They were very different. Although I didn’t know what I was doing most of the time, Coach Bob Beatty [H’03] and his staff were very patient with me and let me play in multiple games. I guess it was easier to give me playing time once we were winning by 60 points, which was often the case. I also watched the TV show ‘Blue Mountain State’ about college football and thought it would be fun to play.”
Sacha remembers Trinity being a welcome change for school.
“Everyone was always very respectful to each other at Trinity, which was big change for me after coming from a public school in the south of France,” Sacha said. “I remember everyone saying hi to me and calling me ‘Frenchy’ from my first days at Trinity. It was quite funny.”
Sacha’s teachers and coaches were also welcoming and positively impacted his life.
“Of course, my favorite teacher was Mr. Budniak, but I’m a little biased since he’s one of my dad’s best friends and I've known him for a very long time,” Sacha said. “In football, I was mostly with Coach Devian Logan [’91] and Coach Jay Cobb [H’24] who both coached safeties and cornerbacks. Also, Coach Mike Snyder [‘02] was our strength and conditioning coach. They were very cool! In rugby, my coaches Neil Arnold, Richard Plouffe [’99] and Kelsey Harris were always a pleasure to be around.”
Continuing to support Trinity
After graduating from Trinity, Sacha completed another year of high school in France to graduate from the French system, earning his baccalauréat. The baccalauréat is France’s national academic qualification and school-leaving examination taken at the end of secondary school (lycée), typically around age 18. It acts as both the final diploma of secondary school and the first academic degree, serving as the primary ticket for entry into higher education in France and recognition worldwide.
Sacha returned to the U.S. to play rugby for the University of Arizona, which he did for a year. He returned to France and attended the Aix Marseille University, earning a bachelor’s degree in international economics.
“Fun fact: I needed to do a semester abroad, and I attended University of Kentucky for that semester,” Sacha said. “I lived with two Trinity brothers, Trevor Ford and Max Farmer.”
He earned a master’s degree in digital marketing and moved to San Francisco to work as a growth marketing specialist for Unison Equity, a financial-technology company.
“I worked there for two years before deciding to return to Saint-Jean-de-Minervois to take over my parents’ small biodynamic winery,” Sacha said. “I’ve been doing this for two years and hope to do it for the rest of my life.”
The winery’s grapevines, representing 18 different grape types, span 21 acres. Their wine is sold throughout France and the U.S. under their Clos du Gravillas label.
Sacha’s parents have earned a good reputation in the French and international wine markets. They are often cited by wine authors, critics and magazines
“This definitely makes it easier for me to sell our wines,” Sacha said. “I’m still learning, and being able to learn with my parents is a real blessing. We don’t use chemicals and do everything by hand, which is challenging but very rewarding at the end.
The winery’s approach to biodiversity and regenerative agriculture places it in a niche market. They sell mainly to sommeliers and wine shops that research sustainable wines made by small family farmed wineries.”
“Making a great wine is not terribly complicated but takes a lot of time and precision,” Sacha said. “Our belief is that you need to take care of your soil first, which will keep your vines happy and healthy. Then these vines should normally make beautiful grapes (if there’s no weather catastrophe) and, therefore great wines.”
Sacha continues to support Trinity.
“My one year at Trinity gave me confidence, a never-give-up attitude, and compassion toward others. High school is an important step in a young man’s life, and Trinity is a great place to build character foundations for life.”
Share an alumni story!
Do you know a Trinity alumnus with a compelling story? Please reach out to Travis Wagoner '90, Alumni Relations, Communications & Archives at 502-736-2122 or wagoner@trinityrocks.com.
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