Primary Education and Intervention Specialist Major
What made you choose Heidelberg, and when did it start to feel like home?
I chose Heidelberg because I grew up around Tiffin, so the atmosphere and community were familiar to me. The small classroom sizes were also a great opportunity to have a more individualized education and build meaningful relationships with my professors. Heidelberg felt like home right away. The welcoming atmosphere at Heidelberg gave me a sense of belonging that would help me grow both personally and professionally.
What moment at Heidelberg made you feel most proud to be a Student Prince?
A moment at Heidelberg that made me feel most proud to be a Student Prince was when I took part in the BergServe during Welcome Week of my Freshman year.
What’s a class, club, or activity you joined on a whim and ended up loving?
I started coaching High School Football and Junior High Basketball at Mohawk Local Schools my Freshman year, and I have enjoyed it ever since.
What’s your best “only at Heidelberg” story?
My "only at Heidelberg" story was this past winter, when the roads were covered in snow, but we stayed on a level 1, so we still had class. When I was leaving class to go home, the hill towards Circular Street was just covered in snow and ice. My Honda Civic was slowly but surely heading up the hill till I had to wait for another car in front of me at the stop sign. Once it was my time to move forward, my car wouldn't move, and I was stuck on the hill for a good 20 seconds. I was finally able to get out of the slush and keep my car from swerving all over the place to turn onto Circular Street.
What relationship or friendship here has meant the most to you and why?
Dr. Pistorova had a big impact during my time at Heidelberg. She always provided opportunities that would push me to the best I can be. She also provided great feedback to help me grow in the educational field.
What opportunity outside the classroom shaped you the most?
My coaching opportunities have helped shape me the most. They have taught me how to build relationships while also building my leadership skills.
What is a lesson from college that you will carry with you forever?
A lesson from college that I will carry forever is that when you plan things out ahead of time, your life will become a lot easier. It was hard to find the balance between school, coaching, and my personal life. However, when I started planning out what I wanted to do, it made my days go a lot smoother with little to no stress.
What memory still makes you smile, no matter what?
A memory that still makes me smile is my students inviting me to their little league basketball game. In the days leading up to the game, my students would always ask me if I was going, and every time I said yes, they were ecstatic. Then they were still super excited to see me on the day of the game.
What experience at Heidelberg best prepared you for your next step?
My student-teaching experiences best prepared me for my next step. It helped being in a real classroom, managing real classroom scenarios that might occur in my future job. It also helped me make connections in the education field and gain significant insight into the world of education.
What advice would you give to incoming freshmen about how to be successful at Heidelberg?
My advice to incoming freshmen would be to get a handle on your time management early. As someone who balanced school and coaching, I had to be able to find time throughout the day to work on schoolwork and watch film. Planning out what you are going to do in advance will help you out a lot.
What are your plans following graduation?
I plan on getting a teaching job around the Tiffin area.
Finally, what’s one thing you hope never changes about Heidelberg?
I hope the library never changes.