Thriving in community and competition at Wartburg

By Yvie Croninger ’25

Emma True ’25 may have come to Waverly from Brainerd, Minnesota, but it didn’t take her long to find her place on the Wartburg campus.

“I chose Wartburg because I loved the sense of community that we have here. The small campus made me feel really at home and made my transition to college so much easier,” said True.

In addition to being an All-American thrower on Wartburg’s track and field team, True also is a resident assistant in Clinton Hall, an Academic Resource Center peer, a Homecoming Committee member, and treasurer of the Wartburg chapter of the National Science Teaching Association.

“While I am involved in a lot at Wartburg, track is a big part of my life. I liked that I automatically found a group of friends, which became my family away from my family. I also really like the team’s flexibility, so I can handle all of my activities well without feeling as if I’m overdoing it,” she said.

With lots of involvement outside of academics and athletics, True offers this advice.

“I would suggest being open to new ideas and doing things that might be uncomfortable for you. Knowing yourself and being honest is really important when deciding what to prioritize to prevent yourself from being spread too thin,” she said.  

Though True has many memories from competition and spending time with her team, one of her favorite times on campus is Homecoming weekend when she is surrounded by the pride of Wartburg students, faculty, and alumni.

In addition to her athletic accomplishments — she earned All-American status at last year’s indoor national championships — True also is successful in the classroom, earning All-Academic honors and a spot of the college’s Dean’s List as an elementary education major. 

She’s especially thankful for her coaches who have helped her thrive in the classroom and throwing circle.

“I would say Coach (Marcus) Newsom and Coach (Seth) Roberson have made a large impact on my Wartburg experience. They have helped to shape who I am as a person and have both done a lot to support my growth academically and socially. They have also helped me to grow my confidence,” said True.

“I hope that all students have the opportunity to experience the sense of community that Wartburg has to offer as well as the strong support system here, whether that’s academically or socially. I hope they take advantage of the small campus community because you don’t get many of the things that Wartburg offers you anywhere else,” she said.

After graduation, True would like to teach special education in a middle school.