By Katie Kreis ’19

Financial aid came as a surprise to Max Aalbers ’22 when a family friend referred
him to Wartburg.

The first-year student from Hampton set his sights on physical therapy but quickly switched his major to exercise science when the program was unveiled in his first term at Wartburg. Now, he is seizing all opportunities to apply what he learns in the classroom to his work in The W and through his participation in intramural sports.

Aalbers’ dedication to his passions was a quality that inspired Jodi Schall White ’95 to refer him to Wartburg via the Alumni Referral Award.

“Max is one of those students who has the world going for him,” said the K-4 Title I math educator at Hampton-Dumont. “He’s intelligent, has a heart for God and people, is outgoing and kind, and is one of those great kids. I knew he would be such an asset to Wartburg because of the service-mindedness.”

White is a lifelong friend of Aalbers’ parents. She held him when he was three days old, has watched him grow up, and believes Aalbers is the kind of person Wartburg looks for. Such sentiments aren’t lost on him.

“It’s kind of come full circle because she was there at the beginning when I was first growing up,” said Aalbers. “Now that I’m becoming more of an adult and moving on, she’s there to help send me off to do what I want to do. I didn’t know about this award until she saw it and referred me. The process was really simple, and I didn’t have to hardly do anything other than attend.”When White was looking at colleges, a family friend referred her to Wartburg. Now, she is able to pay it back and then some.“

Wartburg was one of the best decisions I ever made,” said White. “I have friends from there who are the best things that have ever happened to me. I don’t know if I could do this life without those people I met at Wartburg. I referred someone a couple years ago before the Alumni Referral Award. When Max was going to go, I teased his mom that I gave him a $4,000 graduation present.”

Aalbers is excited for his next three years at Wartburg as he begins applying what he learns in the classroom.

“I like how exercise science focuses and relates to physical therapy and how it’s going to be learning hands-on things that I actually will do if I do become a physical therapist,” he said. “I’m looking forward to being more involved in athletic training and exercise science. I want to eventually help in the athletic training room, go to team practices, and act as an athletic trainer. I can also volunteer at the hospital, which I think I’m going to do next year.”

Professionally and personally, Aalbers feels that Wartburg wasthe right choice.

“Wartburg has really helped me grow as a person because it’s helped me meet new people who I wouldn’t have met in high school,” said Aalbers. “Coming from a small town, pretty much everyone is the same. Wartburg has broadened my thinking and challenged me in a good way to become a better person.”