Leading in the classroom, as a tutor, and mentor
NAME: Jenna Krogulski
CLASS YEAR: 2023
HOMETOWN: Des Moines, Iowa
MAJOR: Exercise Science
CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT: Supplemental Instructor, Student Minister, Spiritual Life and Campus Ministry, Sanctuary
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR MAJOR: I came for the golf program. I loved that I could participate in competitive athletics and be competitive academically. I was really excited for that challenge in both settings. I knew Wartburg had a new exercise science program, and I was lucky to be a part of the first recruited class!
HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR MAJOR: I wanted to pursue physical therapy when I came in as a freshman. I knew I’d get a good biology background at Wartburg, but also a good overview of the human body and how it works. It’s super fascinating.
HOW HAS WARTBURG PREPARED YOU FOR THE FUTURE: My courses have helped prepare me to ask questions when I need help. I’ve been really blessed to take courses that are very content focused but also hands-on. It’s really cool to see the things you’re talking about during class applied during labs. We also have a ton of new equipment in the exercise science area. That space is incredible. I did undergraduate research working with the men’s and women’s soccer teams at Wartburg. My research partner and I explored the relationship between endurance exercise and the body’s metabolic fuel source by comparing carb vs. fat utilization at 70% of VO₂ max. I’ve also helped write protocols for the exercise tests that we do in some of the upper-level classes, and that was an awesome opportunity.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER GRADUATION: After graduation I will start in a position at Corteva Agriscience in their genomics department! I would like to go to grad school down the road, but right now I’m focusing on work and growing my skills and experience.
HOW HAS BEING INVOLVED SHAPED YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A STUDENT: When I was a freshman, I got involved in spiritual life on campus and that was a huge game changer for me. Spiritual Life & Campus Ministry introduced me to a community of people who were very willing to ask questions about hard topics. I’ve been able to take on leadership roles through SL&CM, and I hope I’ve helped uplift other students so that they are comfortable asking questions and sharing their voices in spiritual life.
The second thing that has shaped my Wartburg experience has been Supplemental Instruction. I’ve been the SI leader for Human Anatomy and Physiology for the last two years. I get excited about learning and love sharing that excitement with others. I would love to be in a classroom setting in the future. It is very fulfilling when students become more confident in themselves and their learning to ask critical questions.
HOW HAVE YOU EMBODIED WARTBURG’S FOUR PILLARS ON CAMPUS: Leadership embodies being able to see the need and meet the need in your community, and I’ve had a lot of opportunities to do that with different people. I got the opportunity this year to be an SI manager, helping plan training meetings and serving as a role model for the students who are new to the group. In addition, there was one moment that stood out to me the most last semester. We had a prospective student sit in on one of our exercise science classes. We were only taking a very short quiz, so he wasn’t going to hear anything about what we were learning. As we were leaving, I was like, ‘If I was a prospective student, I would not feel very welcome.’ So, I sat down, and we talked for almost an hour about the things that I had learned in my four years, what I loved, and what he loved. I saw he posted on social media recently that he committed to Wartburg, and I was so excited. I’ve been very blessed to have opportunities to connect with people around me. I think it’s really cool that you can be a leader and grow valuable skills in a place where it’s okay to fail because it makes you stronger each time you get back up.
WHAT IS ONE MEMORY YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER FROM YOUR TIME AT WARTBURG: Hanging out in the Spiritual Life office with Toby, Dr. Becky’s puppy. There were so many times, even just the last few weeks of Winter Term, where Toby would be in the office, and we would soak up our Toby time. I love Dr. Becky. She is a queen. The fact that she’s sharing Toby with us is super cool. I’ll always remember that.