Name: Katie Hilton ’27
Hometown: Hampton, Iowa
Major: Elementary Education with a special education endorsement
Where did you transfer from and why: I earned my AA from North Iowa Area Community College due to location reasons: I live in Hampton and only needed to attend in person for one year, since I took college courses in high school through NIACC. I needed a four-year college to earn my bachelor’s degree.
Why did you choose Wartburg: I had several reasons why I chose Wartburg, including an amazing choir program, the location, friends from NIACC who also transferred to Wartburg, the alumni influence from those who taught me in high school, and a comparable price versus state college options, which made Wartburg affordable with scholarships.
How did you get involved once you were a Knight: I am a member of both Wartburg Choir and Castle Singers, which takes up a large part of my extra time since I am a commuter. I’ve also helped with the Opera Workshop with Dr. Pfaltzgraff.
Have any of these activities played a major role in how you’ve experienced Wartburg: YES! I have always loved music, and I have developed amazing relationships sharing this love with some incredible people at Wartburg. The networking, connections, and opportunities of a lifetime I have experienced are memories I will cherish and let everyone know about these great opportunities Wartburg has given me.
You’ve had opportunities to present research and visit classrooms with Dr. Bechtel’s little zoo. How have those experiences prepared you for teaching your own class: These experiences helped me realize I selected the correct path in earning my bachelor’s degree at Wartburg to teach elementary students. Going out into the classrooms has given me some of the best work experience by a hands-on approach to teaching the youth.
What are your plans after graduation: Hopefully, this summer after graduation, I will find an opportunity to be hired as an elementary teacher in a small town in Iowa close to my hometown.
How has Wartburg helped prepare you for this next step: There have been many opportunities to network and make connections through Wartburg that I don’t believe you can find at the larger universities, and I feel these can help me become successful in finding the right fit for me to help teach our youth here in Iowa.
What is something you are most excited for this year: I am excited to share my senior year experiences with my friends who have transferred with me from NIACC and take in those “last” senior moments together.
What has been your favorite Wartburg experience: There are so many great memories made through the choirs I have been in, like performing at NYC Carnegie Hall and traveling on tours, including Europe, where we visited Waverly’s sister city, Eisenach, and sang in the Wartburg Castle.
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