Twins Luke and Leah Ledermann both completed their bachelor’s degrees last month – Luke in information systems and technology and Leah in modern languages with an emphasis in Japanese. (Photo by August Jennewein)

Twins Luke and Leah Ledermann have been doing many things together throughout their lives, so it wasn’t crazy that would continue through college.

Both graduated from the University of Missouri–St. Louis last month – Luke earning his degree in information systems and technology and Leah in modern languages with an emphasis in Japanese.

In many ways they’re following in the footsteps of their big sister and fellow UMSL graduate Rosella Ledermann, who earned her bachelor’s degree in Japanese language in 2015.

Luke is following Rosella to Houston after landing a new position at Ernst & Young, a global tax consulting and professional services company. Rosella has been living in Houston and working for Mitsubishi Motors.

“EY gave me the chance to pick where I’d prefer to work, so my sister Rosella did play a bit of a factor,” Luke Ledermann said. “It’ll definitely be a big help having Rosella in the area since we’ve always been a close family.”

Luke will be working in the company’s technology consulting division as a consultant on projects to help companies implement technology systems.

“The classes at UMSL, especially the computer science courses, helped teach me enough to land a job with Ernst & Young,” said Luke, who worked in the Technology Support Center as a student employee. “UMSL, specifically the capstone course for IS with Dr. (Joseph) Rottman, helped me give recruiters a real product they could review and analyze as part of my application.

“The hands-on experience I got working with real clients in my system analysis and design courses helped me learn how the consulting industry works, so I ended up taking that kind of experience with me to my job interviews.”

Leah started UMSL expecting to follow a path like her brother’s into computer science or information systems. Instead, she found herself pulled in a direction more like her sister’s toward Japanese language.

“I entered UMSL with a goal for a computer science degree, and I planned on taking Japanese for my language requirements,” Leah said. “However, as I progressed in my Japanese courses, I found myself enjoying Japanese more than I enjoyed my computer science courses. In the end I also decided on a Japanese major like my older sister.”

With a newly-earned college degree, Leah is now looking to get a job using and continuing to develop her language skills.

“The dream would be to land a job in the translation business or game development business,” Leah said. “So, hopefully I’ll be able to sharpen my skills along the way.”

The 22-year-old twins from Dupo, Illinois, said they didn’t intentionally plan to graduate from the same university on the same day.

“At first, we didn’t really think about graduating together, but as graduation got closer it was kind of something that just happened,” Leah said. “I think some people don’t realize how helpful it is to have family members around to help and encourage you throughout your college career.”

Luke said there was also another family tie that held their graduation goals together.

“I think us graduating together made our parents very happy,” he said.