Mentors - College Achievement Program - Vocation Programs

Justin Maiers – Adams, MN - Senior
I am a double major in Accounting and Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance. My plan after graduation is to sit for my Certified Public Accounting (C.P.A.) Exam. I enjoy being involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, and my internship with the City of Waverly. I know the CAP Mentoring Program is an excellent opportunity to assist you in making your transition to college as easy as possible. I know this because I have been through the entire program as a freshman, and now I am in my third year as a mentor. Therefore, I have personally benefited from the advice received through the program, and I have passed my knowledge to incoming freshman as a mentor. I am looking forward to my fourth year in the CAP Mentoring Program and I am excited to meet you!

Brittan Lawrence—Cedar Falls, IA—Sophomore
Over the course of my freshman year I have switched between various majors and have finally decided to major in French Education. I love traveling and learning about different cultures and plan on doing it a lot during my time here at Wartburg. I have been involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters, French Club, intramural sports, and have worked at the Information Center during my first year. I cannot wait to get into a classroom and start teaching. There are also many activities that I have yet to try. This is my first year as a CAP mentor, and I am really excited to start mentoring. I cannot wait to meet everyone and get to know more students coming to Wartburg!

Amy Osheim—Thompson, IA - Sophomore
I am a double major in Psychology and Sociology with a Business minor. After the completion of my degree, I plan to pursue a career in marriage and family counseling. So far, I have been involved in St. Elizabeth's Choir, Intramural sports and Psychology Club. I also plan to participate in Big Brothers Big Sisters next year. I have absolutely loved Wartburg so far! I am excited to meet all of you for another great year as a Knight.

Adela Cope—Springville, IA—Junior
I am a Biology major with a Spanish minor. Currently, I’m planning on continuing my studies after graduation by attending medical school and eventually becoming an OBGYN or pediatrician of some kind. However, I try to keep an open mind about all options the future may bring. I am a member of the Forensics team and I play clarinet in Symphonic Band. I know from experience that Wartburg is a great environment to learn and grow, especially during your first year. I am truly looking forward to meeting all of you and working with you during your first year at Wartburg! It is going to be a blast!

Ben Brannaman – Mount Vernon, IA - Senior
I am a Business Administration major with concentrations in Finance and Marketing, and minors in Economics and Leadership. Throughout my last three years at Wartburg College I have done all that I can to take advantage of a number of life-changing opportunities. I went on a service trip to Biloxi, MS, I was a Youth Leader Mentor for the High School Leadership Institute, and I spent a semester at Wartburg West in Denver, CO. Currently I am a Student Manager in the Den, the Finance Coordinator for the Service Trip Executive Board, and I am heavily involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. As a CAP Mentor, I hope to utilize my own experiences to help all of you get a solid start on your college journey. I am excited to meet everyone - it should be an awesome year!

Amanda Hewitt—Bettendorf, IA—Senior
My major is Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance. I also have minors in Spanish and Leadership. I'm involved in Student Ambassadors, Alpha Chi, Sigma Delta Pi, PBL, and Homecoming Committee. I also work as a Pathways Peer and lead an SI session. My hometown is Bettendorf, Iowa, but I have really liked living and playing in Waverly for the past few years. I really enjoy Wartburg as well as the CAP Mentoring Program. This is my third year working as a mentor, and I look forward to meeting all the new protégés! We will have a great year!

Katie Groskreutz – Minnetonka, MN - Junior
I am majoring in Elementary Education with a Reading endorsement. I cannot wait to be an elementary teacher, and if I could choose, I would love to teach second grade. I am involved with Wartburg Association of Student Educators and CAP Mentoring. I work at the Information Desk as a Night Manager and Console Operator. This is my second year as a CAP Mentor and I am very excited for my second year mentoring and excited about the opportunity to get to know more students at Wartburg! I can't wait to get started with the program this year and meet all of you!

Justin Erickson—Cedar Rapids, IA—Junior
I am an Economics and Political Science major with a minor in Business. At Wartburg you will find me involved in College Republicans, Symphonic Band (where I play trumpet) and working in the Writing, Reading, and Speaking Lab. I have had a great first two years at Wartburg and look forward to working with all of you and beginning another great year here!

Chondraah Holmes- Waterloo, IA- Sophomore
I am a Pre-Medicine (Biology) major and have a Leadership minor. I enjoy playing volleyball, watching soccer, reading, writing, and listening to music. After having a wonderful first year, I hope to do my best to make sure that you are aware of all of the opportunities that are available here at Wartburg. I am looking forward to meeting all of you and making sure that I do my best to help make the transition into college much easier. I am excited to begin a new semester and year here at Wartburg!

Staci Sieren – Keota, IA - Junior
I am a biology major planning to go into the field of dentistry. I enjoy watching and playing sports and have actively participated in several intramural sports at Wartburg. I also enjoy music and was a member of the St. Elizabeth's Choir my freshman year. In addition, I work as a Pathways Peer and am involved in Big Brothers/Big Sisters. After having a great first-year experience, I hope to help the incoming freshmen experience all that Wartburg has to offer. I'm looking forward to meeting the protégés and offering advice to make the transition to college as smooth and successful as possible. I can't wait to meet all of you in the fall and begin another great year at Wartburg!

Bethany Creed – Center Point, IA – Junior
I am from a small town Center Point which is between Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. I have two brothers and one sister, and I graduated from a class of 93 students. When I first got to Wartburg, my major was Elementary Education, but as you will learn many students will change majors. My new major is Communication Arts with a Public Relations emphasis. I recently added a Computer Design minor and am very excited about the switch. At Wartburg I am involved in Student Senate, Academic Planning Committee (APC), Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Admissions and Scholarship Committee, CAP, working in the Admissions Office, working to schedule internships, and playing Intramural sports! I am looking forward to participating in this program again this year. Being a protégé in this program my first year of college, I found it to be one of the most helpful resources. It is a great way to meet new people, and it was always good to have someone to ask the "silly" questions. I am looking forward to being a mentor again this year and meeting many new people! Best wishes to all and see you in the fall!

Jess Schenk- Canon City, CO- Sophomore
I call the great state of Colorado home, and came to Wartburg last year not knowing what to expect. What I found was a community that I loved, and a place that allowed me to thrive. Now, I am a second year. I am a Social Work and Religion major. Wartburg has given me a plethora of opportunities. Currently, I am a member of the Scholars Program, Campus Ministry Board, Wartburg Embracing Bremwood, and work in Neumann Auditorium. I have been fortunate enough to travel to London and Paris and New Orleans during my first year. I am well versed in the opportunities available on campus and am eager to help anyone find opportunities that match their passions and interests. CAP truly is a valuable opportunity for any incoming student. I look forward to next year!

Hyeladzirra Banu – West Africa, Nigeria - Sophomore
Greetings! I’m Hyeladzirra Banu and I hail all the way from West Africa, Nigeria. I am a double major in International Relations and Politics, with a minor in Journalism and Communication Arts. Amidst shuffling my life between North America, West Africa and Western Europe, I’ve come to be an avid lover of all things international, including books, film and music. At Wartburg College I enjoy being a participant of the CAP Mentoring Program, ETK, KWAR, WTV, SPJ, The French Club, The I-Club, The Trumpet and Student Senate. I have found that to be in a community-based environment such as Wartburg College, the college experience is imbedded within the interpersonal relationships you form along the way, and I hope to help you form such experiences. I can’t wait to work with you next year!

Rachel Claman – Gilbert, IA - Junior
I am majoring in Communication Arts with an emphasis in Public Relations. I am also working towards getting a minor in Business and Leadership. I enjoy being involved on campus in groups such as Inclusion Connection, Eucharist, Adopt-a-grandparent, the Tower Agency, and the Trumpet (Wartburg's newspaper). During the school year I work in Pathways, which is a great resource you should check out. I have loved my first two years at Wartburg and can not wait to share these experiences with you.

Thomas Dirth – West Point, IA – Senior
I am a Psychology major with a minor in Leadership. Southeast Iowa is now my home, though I am no stranger to the rest of the state having lived in Northeast and Northwest Iowa through the years. On campus, I keep myself busy with a wide range of extracurricular activities including Wartburg Choir, Ritterchor, KWAR Sports, Orientation Staff, Habitat for Humanity, Catholic Knights, Psychology Club, and CAP. One of the greatest things about Wartburg is the number of resources available to support the students through their four years of schooling and beyond. It is a great privilege to be such a resource to incoming students as they begin their journey through college. I can’t wait to see you all in the fall because I’m sure we’ll have a ball!