Wartburg will always be part of who I am

NAME: William Goettl
CLASS YEAR: 2020
HOMETOWN: Savage, Minnesota
MAJOR: German and history

INVOLVEMENT ON CAMPUS: Wartburg Drumline, German Club, History Club, Wartburg Service Trips, and Wartburg Archives.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE WARTBURG: From my first visit to my second or third visit, one of the professors remembered my name as a prospective student. Having that relationship with a professor who might not even have me as their student really stood out to me and made me feel important. There was an instinct that this is where I belong.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON YOUR MAJOR:  decided on history because I simply really enjoy learning it and wanted to keep going. I took German in high school and wanted to become fluent so naturally I became a German major as well. 

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER GRADUATION: To get a job in Germany and move there. Through the relationship that Wartburg has with Eisenach, I might be getting a job in the city archives. I have a lot of fallback plans, but my main goal is to move to, live and work in Germany.  

HOW HAS WARTBURG SET YOU UP FOR SUCCESS IN YOUR FIELD: I am now fluent in German, especially through May Term and my summer of studying abroad. At Wartburg, I got to a point where I am no longer speaking language in class anymore, I’m speaking German all the time. My other major is history, so the development of my research skills along with critical thinking and looking at sources.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WARTBURG MEMORY: All the friends that I have made, the experiences that I have had, and the close relationships that I have made with my peers and professors.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS: Have as much fun as you can, because I am realizing very quickly in my last year that I will never have this much freedom and free time. Take advantage of your youth, go out of your comfort zone, and do things that you enjoy.

WHY IS WARTBURG WORTH IT: The friendships that I have made and the relationships I have with my professors. I feel welcome on campus and since Wartburg is community oriented, I feel like I am part of a family. After being knighted as a first-year student, I feel that Wartburg will always be a big part of who I am as a student and as a person.