Wartburg helped me build my confidence, drive
NAME: Emily Carroll
CLASS YEAR: 2018
HOMETOWN: Marble Rock
MAJOR: Elementary education
CURRENT EMPLOYMENT: Fourth-grade teacher, Hampton-Dumont Community School District
INVOLVEMENT ON CAMPUS: Kappa Delta Pi vice president, Alpha Chi member, Service Trips, Science of Love Night, tutoring, 2016-17 resident assistant, work study, Love Your Melon crew member
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE WARTBURG: I chose Wartburg because it felt like home. Everyone was so welcoming when I came in as a freshman. One thing that stood out to me was that it was so easy to find people who had the same academic drive as I did. There are so many good students here and the faculty genuinely want to see you succeed.
WHAT DID YOU NEVER IMAGINE YOU WOULD DO BEFORE COMING TO WARTBURG: I never thought I would have made the personal growth that I have. I am much more confident and driven than I was in 2014. Wartburg helped me blossom into the person that I am today. That is something that I am very proud of.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION: I choose elementary education for a couple of reasons, the first being that I love learning. I have a passion for teaching others and helping them realize their potential. The second reason being that I have a huge heart for children in need. I knew that I wanted to help the world in a positive way; teachers do that every single day. I wanted to be that positive role model for children.
My student-teaching experience was the best experience that I’ve ever had. It challenged me as an educator and opened my eyes to what education truly is. I woke up every day so excited to go interact and build relationships with the students and staff. My confidence grew, and I realized that I was truly “in my element.” After that first week of student teaching, I knew immediately that I chose the right profession.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE CLASS: I really enjoyed my Elementary Science Methods class with Dr. (Michael) Bechtel. The class was challenging but really opened my eyes to what I can accomplish as an educator. My love for teaching became so much greater after that class. If anyone knows Dr. Bechtel, they know that he is very passionate about education. That had a huge impact on me.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WARTBURG MEMORY: I don’t have a favorite memory in particular, because what I love most about my time at Wartburg was the relationships built. I met my best friends at Wartburg. Anything that I did with them was my favorite.
HOW ARE YOU LIVING OUT THE WARTBURG MISSION: I am always striving to better myself so that I can better help others. My vocation in this life is to guide others, especially children, to succeed and find purpose. This has helped me become a strong servant leader in my community. My faith is at the core of everything that I do. My faith gives me purpose.
WHAT DID YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT CAMPUS LIFE: I like how friendly everyone is. You immediately feel at home at Wartburg. If you need anything, people are very much willing to help you. You are never alone!