My education set me above the rest
NAME: Abby Singleton
CLASS YEAR: 2018
MAJOR: Elementary education
CURRENTLY: Graduate student, Northwestern University
WHY WARTBURG: Wartburg felt like home. When I stepped on campus I immediately felt welcome and cared for. I was inspired by the campus, the student involvement, and the love and passion all professors have for their students.
WHAT WAS THE ONE THING YOU NEVER IMAGINED YOU WOULD DO BEFORE COMING TO WARTBURG: It sounds crazy, but changing my mind! I can’t remember how many times I was in the Registrar’s Office switching my major/minor/endorsements throughout my time at school. I was able to find even MORE things that I loved and was passionate about because of Wartburg, and now I find myself changing my mind and discovering new hobbies often.
HOW DID YOUR WARTBURG EXPERIENCE PREPARE YOU FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE: My education set me above the rest. If I would have gained a degree anywhere else studying elementary education, I wouldn’t have as many skills as I do now – and those skills were taught and fostered in every environment, not just the classroom. My time in the education program prepared me for my new journey in ways I could never have expected and helped me to realize my passions in working with children. I’m now using everything that Wartburg taught me in my graduate studies as a clinical mental health counselor, and I don’t think any other school could have prepared me for that as well as Wartburg did.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WARTBURG TRADITION: Too many to share. The first one that comes to mind, strangely, is midnight breakfast. Something about a bunch of stressed out students cramming for finals and eating breakfast food was always fun for me. I also love and miss all of the traditions that Student Senate had. Polo Thursday was one of my favorites, just ask anyone who knew me during the time!
HOW DO YOU STAY CONNECTED TO THE COLLEGE: I’m a proud new member of the Alumni Board. I keep reading the Trumpet online to see how things I helped implement on campus are growing. I keep in touch with all of my friends from school almost daily, visit campus often, and am always counting down the days until the next Homecoming.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS: Do EVERYTHING. If something sounds fun, try it! I found KWAR at a table my freshman year move-in date and tried it out just to see what it was like and ended up being the station manager four years later. Even if you only try it once, TRY IT! You’ll meet so many amazing people and make the best connections. Also, don’t worry too much about losing a few hours of sleep every now and then – the memories you make instead are way worth it and you’ll cherish them forever.
WHY WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE WORTH IT: There are a million reasons my experience was worth it. I made lifelong friends, traveled the world, and learned so much not only about my future passions, but myself. I was able to participate in whatever I wanted without ever feeling like I didn’t belong – I worked with KWAR, was involved in Senate, sang in the Wartburg Choir, and tried everything else under the sun along the way. I even worked with Sir Victor’s team for a year just because it sounded fun! I don’t think I would have been able to do amount of things I was able to accomplish as an undergraduate student in four years anywhere else.