At Wartburg I didn’t have to give up my musical interests

When Travis Errthum ’22 was deciding where to go for college, he was stuck between Iowa State and Wartburg. The choice became clear, however, when he realized that Wartburg would allow him to follow his STEM interests in engineering and chemistry while still being involved in choir.

“One of things I was most attracted to about Wartburg was that they have that time set aside for your interests. No matter what academics you are in, you have time in your day so if you wanted to be in a music group or something, you can be. It was really comforting to know that no matter what I chose at Wartburg, I could still keep music,” said Errthum, who eventually decided to major in Chemistry.

Errthum started out in Castle Singers before being accepted in the Wartburg Choir as a second-year. Founded in 1937, Wartburg Choir performs sacred music from all historical periods and styles and often collaborates with contemporary composers. The choir, which was selected to perform at the 2022 Midwestern American Choral Directors Association conference, tours the U.S. each spring and abroad every three years.

Another benefit for Errthum was the opportunity to get involved in his major.

“If I wanted to be a lab assistant, all I would have to do is tell my professor that I wanted to help in the lab. I worked as a lab assistant, a tutor, and a grader. There was always a way to help outside of class in a department that I felt that I belonged in. At a big university, maybe a handful of the whole lecture hall works for the department, whereas here, I live in a room with five other guys, and all of us work for the chemistry department in some way, shape, or form,” Errthum said.

His experience in both his field and in choir also set him apart when he entered the job market.

“When I was interviewing with employers, the fact that I’ve graded papers, worked as a lab assistant, and also as basically a TA was very helpful. The ability to do extracurriculars was also important. When employers see that you can be involved in everything and are still getting good grades, they can tell that you have truly developed a sense of time management,” Errthum said.

After he graduates, Errthum will work at Cambrex in Charles City as a quality control chemist. He hopes to someday attend graduate school to pursue a graduate degree in either chemistry or chemical engineering. For now, Errthum is excited that his Wartburg connections helped him find his place at Cambrex.

“There are just so many connections to make at Wartburg. I found out about Cambrex because a professor that just left here a couple years ago works there. I also have a number of friends I have seen apply to graduate schools or jobs because they have some sort of campus connection. Wartburg, because it’s so small, you’re guaranteed to know your professor and they will know you and get you those opportunities,” Errthum said.

He attributes that sense of community that he has built at Wartburg to its size.

“You get to know your peers, your professors, and all the faculty on campus. I am not a music major, but I interact with several music faculty on the regular. They know me by name and respect my place in the program, even as I am not in it in a traditional sense. It is a very nice community here that you can’t always get at a bigger place. There is a sense of care that Wartburg gives more than just to academics, it is very liberal with the liberal arts part of the education. I have always really liked that, especially with my interests. Choir is something that I couldn’t give up, and they built a community where I wouldn’t have to,” Errthum said.