Integrated Media Major
I chose Heidelberg because it would be silly not to! Heidelberg has so many pros (and very few cons, if any at all) that it would be crazy to not take advantage of enrolling.
I majored in Integrated Media because its content is what I surround myself with. I'm a huge media nerd. I'm totally enthralled by film, television, podcasts, magazines, niche interviews of Elton John, and every other medium in between. Studying what I love has genuinely been fun and challenging in the best way.
A major challenge I encountered while at Heidelberg was letting go of social anxiety. I handled it by forcing myself to do things that genuinely spooked me. It took me a long time to stop putting on a front and be my authentic self, but holding myself accountable and forcing myself to attend events, join clubs, and perform really, really helped. I know it's a cliché, but I feel like I've blossomed during my four years at Heidelberg and it's largely due to the people on campus who were gentle and understanding.
Above all, Heidelberg prepared me to take risks. I have four years of really solid education under my belt from a wide array of disciplines. I feel confident during my job hunt; I'm applying for positions I think will really challenge me. I know I'll be able to handle it because I've been pushed to perform my absolute best by my professors and peers.
Outside of the classroom, I was involved in THE Heidelberg Marching Band Color Guard (go Band!) and a few clubs when I have time, including the Alliance for Sustainability, Berg Body Positivity Association, Berg Allies, Math Camp, etc. In theater, I was fortunate to perform in the Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadow Cast and Dangerous Liaisons, as well as a few internships and volunteer opportunities. I've also been published in Morpheus, worked as a teacher aide, and held a job outside of campus. I think I might be forgetting something somewhere in those four years!
My favorite extra-curricular activity was performing in the Marching Band. It's my greatest Heidelberg love! Four years ago, my friends and I started the Color Guard, and I've been coaching ever since. I cannot contain the experiences I've had in the band into words because I feel it is indescribable. The Marching Band is a family. I feel at home when I'm marching in time on the field watching a man on a ladder wave a stick back and forth. I've done it for 11 years, and I hope to keep it in my life somehow after I graduate. Go Alumni Band!
Faculty or staff mentors or advisors who impacted my ‘Berg experience are Dr. Julie O'Reilly, Dr. Robin Heaton, Jon Waters and Rod Miller. They're honestly just really neat. I've observed a huge amount of patience and passion from each of them in their own unique ways, and I hope that it rubbed off on me somehow. This is another one of those times where I can't limit my feelings to words; they're just all-around lovely people who are terrific at their jobs. I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from them.
My advice to new freshman me would be to be gentle with yourself. The transition from high school to college is jarring. It's unlikely to immediately and perfectly adjust to a new environment with new people and a new schedule with new professors in a new town. It's HARD. As long as you take things one step at a time--genuinely one step--you'll find you've blinked and four years have gone by and suddenly you really don't want to leave.
My favorite Heidelberg memory is hard to pick. This year especially, I've been lucky to have a LOT of really rad experiences with people I really look up to. Joining the theater for a few months has been electrifyingly fun and I thank them so much for their super warm welcome. I've had a lot of positive experiences in classes with super cool projects that I'm really proud of. Watching my friends navigate their own college journeys has sincerely made me cry out of a sense of pride and gratefulness for them. Of course, the biggest soft spot I have is for the band. I think my final bow on the field will occupy my mind as one of the proudest moments of my life--we created a Color Guard and made it last!
My plans after graduation are to keep myself afloat. I'm going to treat the transition into real life the same way I treated the transition to college: with care. I'm going to be kind to myself but try to maintain the "go-getter" attitude I've cultivated for myself on campus. Ideally, I'd love to continue working in marketing for nonprofits. My internship at the Mission Advancement Office at the St. Francis Community has been extended until mid-August, so I'll be in town! By the way, I got that internship because of networking at a ‘Berg event. Just a little shameless plug for the best university ever 😊