Countdown to Commencement: Class of 2016
As the campus community prepares for commencement this weekend, the Marketing & Communication Services Office returns to its annual feature -- a series of articles that profiles members the Class of 2016. The series highlights seniors and their road to graduation and their plans for life in the real world as they prepare to become Heidelberg grads and alumni. We hope you enjoy the “Countdown to Commencement.”
Melissa captivated her voice professor, Dr. Carol Dusdieker, from day one. For the past four years, the bond between professor and student has deepened. For Melissa, finding role models like Carol at Heidelberg has been really valuable. “It can be hard being a woman growing up in a small town. When you meet a professor who brings out your passion, you realize you can do more, you want to do more."
By pure chance his freshman year, Cole attended a lecture by an FBI detective about human sex trafficking. From that first presentation, Human Trafficking Awareness Week has expanded into an annual event at Heidelberg, and Cole’s passion to understand the issue and help do something about it has grown simultaneously.
Olivia is a typical college senior – excited for graduation, a little nervous about where she’ll land her first teaching job. So it may a surprise to know how skillfully she has managed a chronic illness almost her entire life, making necessary adjustments to become the first in her family to go to a four-year college.
Kyle came to Heidelberg for two reasons: baseball and science. During his four years, he excelled at both, and discovered that his passions and pursuits worked together to help define his future. Kyle came to Heidelberg as a biology major with the intent to head to medical school. When he began to lose interest in becoming a medical doctor, he decided to look into optometry. Playing baseball was a part of his decision.
This summer will be the first in 17 years that Ben won’t be playing baseball. He’ll still be part of the game he loves, just in a different – and hopefully, bigger – way. After graduation, Ben is headed for an internship with Baseball Info Solutions, a company that subcontracts with Major League Baseball.
May 13, 2016
