I am forever grateful for my Wartburg experience

NAME: Andrew Salvaterra
CLASS YEAR: 2007
MAJOR: Communication Arts 
CURRENTLY: Marketing and promotions specialist, Chippewa Valley Technical College

WHY WARTBURG: As a high school student, I attended both the Meistersinger All-State Choir Camp and IBNA Broadcast Workshop. Staying on campus in the residence halls, working in the classrooms, and meeting the faculty made me realize it was the perfect place for me. I only toured two other schools and ultimately only applied to Wartburg.

WHAT WAS THE ONE THING YOU NEVER IMAGINED YOU WOULD DO BEFORE COMING TO WARTBURG: The opportunity to travel and perform with the Wartburg Choir and Wartburg Players theatre group. Our Wartburg Choir May Term trip abroad gave me the opportunity to pursue my passion of creating music with my close friends and perform on a wider and grander scale than I ever dreamed was possible. The opportunity to perform with the Players at the KCACTF national conference was an honor and a privilege and a true lifetime memory as an actor. 

HOW DID YOUR WARTBURG EXPERIENCE PREPARE YOU FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE: Wartburg taught me to be flexible, hard-working, and prepared. The level of difficulty and hands-on opportunities in my courses allowed me to make a smooth transition to working in media and advertising professionally.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WARTBURG TRADITION: Outfly is the greatest tradition at any college in the country, and if I could go back and experience Midnight Breakfast one more time as a student I would in a heartbeat!

HOW DO YOU STAY CONNECTED TO THE COLLEGE: I was fortunate to recently be accepted to serve on the Alumni Board, I have assisted with scholarship days and current student mock interview days. I also keep in touch with many of my former professors and have donated what I am able to the fundraising efforts.

HOW ARE YOU LIVING OUT THE WARTBURG MISSION: In my professional, personal, and social life I maintain the foundation of leadership, service, and learning at all times. I serve in leadership positions on multiple committees and boards both professionally and in my community and continue to take courses and training opportunities to further my knowledge and help me become a more complete person.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS: Say yes and go to bed every night exhausted! You will never get these four years back, so be involved in everything, say yes to every opportunity presented to you, seek out new experiences, and sleep after you graduate with amazing lifelong memories. 

WHY WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE WORTH IT: I consider my time at Wartburg to be four of the most impactful years of my life, and I genuinely believe that time at another college would not have been as impactful. The quality of education I received, the opportunities to participate in clubs and activities, and the relationships I made during my time were and are second to none. I have a great deal of debt to Wartburg, and not in a financial sense, but in that my time set me up to become a better person and succeed in life. I am forever grateful to this college, the people, and the experience that so totally and completely shaped who I am today.