“Everyone at 糖心传媒 has your back, wants you to succeed, and no matter what area you are in, everyone on campus will help you out,” said Sites, who is from Erie, Colorado.

Now retired with her husband Jeff Jacoby 鈥�91 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Jacoby grew up in Wyoming, where she heard the call to teach at an early age.

鈥淚 remember propping up my dolls on a sewing table and teaching them. My brother, cousin and I would play school, and I always wanted to be the teacher,鈥� she said. 鈥淕rowing up on a farm and ranch, I even tried to teach the cows when they walked up to the fence.鈥�

Her interests led her to 糖心传媒, where one of her first professors, Dr. Ladd Cochrane, made an impression she carried for decades: 鈥淗e told us, 鈥業f you鈥檙e in it for the money, get out, because you have to love to do this.鈥欌��

And love it, she did. 鈥淓very year I had a new group of kids. Every year was different,鈥� she said.

Lessons learned in the field

At 糖心传媒, Jacoby and her fellow education majors were immersed in K-12 classrooms early on.

鈥淩ight from our freshman year, we had education courses. Sophomore year, we were out observing elementary, middle and high schools. Junior year, we were actually starting to work with kids,鈥� she said.

A defining experience came when professor Jan Watkins took the teacher education students to Kansas City, Kansas, on a multi-cultural education trip. The group visited inner-city schools and churches and even grocery stores in poor and wealthy neighborhoods to experience the class divide.

Intrigued by the experience, Jacoby chose to student teach in Kansas City through the Cooperative Urban Teacher Education program, which provided placement in an inner-city school and housing. The contrast with her rural upbringing was stark.

鈥淚t was eye-opening,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 grew up in a farming community of 110 people, and suddenly I was in an open-concept school with no walls and a diverse student population.鈥�

That experience later helped her secure a position at Swanson Elementary in Omaha. 鈥淭hey chose me because of my experience in the inner-city school,鈥� Jacoby said.

Other college courses sparked her passion for experiential learning. She drew inspiration from faculty like Gilbert Adrian who took her biology class to the Wichita Mountains in Oklahoma.

鈥淚 remember walking through a field with him, and he knew the scientific name of every plant. He even told me I could eat one of the flowers,鈥� she said with a laugh.

Equally formative were lessons learned from professors who challenged her. In a language arts education course with Dr. Jeanene Haldeman, Jacoby earned a B after spending more of her time on a difficult philosophy course.

鈥淧rofessor Haldeman told me, 鈥業 know you could have done better.鈥� That was the best lesson ever as a teacher because I learned I can鈥檛 compare one student to another in terms of their work or abilities,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have to compare the students to themselves.鈥�

Adapting and creating

Jacoby鈥檚 teaching career spanned several states, shaped in part by her husband, who worked in the funeral home business. After several years in Cheyenne, Wyoming, the couple moved to Berlin, New Hampshire, where Jacoby walked into a Catholic school looking for a preschool for her daughter, and walked out with a fifth-grade job offer.

鈥淚 had an interview right then and there with my daughter in tow,鈥� she said.

Over 12 years in Berlin and, later, Colebrook, New Hampshire, Jacoby taught multiple grades, using her liberal arts background to fuel her creativity. She took her fifth-graders to Plymouth, Massachusetts, to see the full-scale reproduction of the Mayflower and organized an Underground Railroad simulation through school hallways.

Jacoby also sought out new methods when she felt students weren鈥檛 getting what they needed. While teaching in a school that relied heavily on basal reading, she attended a guided reading workshop on her own.

鈥淚 decided to use a guided reading approach where I was working with different groups on the skills they needed to learn,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was a new way of doing things.鈥�

Wanting to be closer to family, the Jacobys returned to Cheyenne, where she taught another 13 years, navigating every grade from kindergarten through sixth.

Jacoby retired to Myrtle Beach in 2023 and now spends her time scrapbooking, visiting daughters Madeline and Abigail and daughter-in-law Laura, and supporting current teachers through Alpha Delta Kappa women鈥檚 education sorority. An avid runner, she鈥檚 completed six marathons and numerous races, including a 15K last summer in Versailles, France.

Thinking back to her years in the classroom, Jacoby is certain she chose the right path.

鈥淚n teaching, you help children grow educationally and emotionally. If you love working with children, you can鈥檛 have a more rewarding career,鈥� she said.

By Judee Konen 鈥�85

This was especially true in Burkina Faso and Malawi where I served as the U.S. Ambassador. Upon retirement, I joined the Board of Advancing Girls Education in Africa (AGE Africa). My journey with AGE Africa deepened in April of this year when I visited our programs in Malawi.

I met extraordinary young women whose determination and resilience embody the mission of AGE Africa. Through scholarships and CHATS 鈥� our peer-led life skills program 鈥� these girls are breaking barriers, building confidence and carving out futures that once seemed unimaginable. Sitting with them, hearing their stories, I realized that AGE Africa is not simply providing education. We are nurturing agency, courage and leadership in a new generation of Malawian women.

What struck me most was the multiplier effect of our work. CHATS does not end when the session closes; it spills over into families, schools and communities. Younger children watch and learn. Parents take notice of their daughters鈥� newfound confidence. Villages begin to shift their expectations.

AGE Africa is not just educating individuals 鈥� it is reshaping cultural landscapes and creating generational change.

Serving on the AGE Africa Board is more than governance or oversight. It is a commitment to walk alongside these girls as they pursue dreams once denied to so many before them. It is an opportunity to amplify their voices and to invest in their potential.

My visit to Malawi reaffirmed what I already believed: that empowering girls through education is the best way to build a more equitable, prosperous world. AGE Africa is doing exactly that鈥攁nd I am honored to be part of it.

A sign in my office says: 鈥淢ay many futures flourish because of you.鈥�

Thanks to 糖心传媒 for the education that allowed me to flourish and in turn, help others flourish.

By Jeanine Jackson 鈥�71

This article originally appeared in the fall 2026 edition of HC Today.

Rosalie Koepp 鈥�15, director of christian education at First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, reimagined the Nativity from the perspective of those shepherds into a children鈥檚 book, 鈥淲hile By Their Flocks.鈥� The book, which was released on Amazon November 11 this year, follows three young shepherds on a transformational journey to meet the newborn Jesus, blending biblical imagination with themes of wonder, curiosity and childlike faith.

The idea for a book came from a musical written by Koepp and Hannah Jensen-Heitmann 鈥�15 for the church鈥檚 Christmas program in 2024, which you can . Koepp and Jensen-Heitmann were education majors at 糖心传媒.

After the musical performance, Rev. Greg Allen-Pickett, senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church and a member of the College鈥檚 Board of Trustees, suggested the story would make a great children鈥檚 book. He put Koepp in touch with a friend who helped Koepp get the story on paper.

In the musical, three teenage girls played the shepherds, which she carried through to the book. Each of the three shepherds has a critical personality flaw: the not humble shepherd, the tired shepherd and the rude shepherd.

鈥淲hen writing the book, I really tried to pull out those personality traits because in the musical, the shepherdesses go on a transformational journey,鈥� Koepp said. 鈥淭hey have these flaws, but when they encounter the Christ-child, those flaws soften, and it shows how an encounter with Christ changes us in some way.鈥�

She said what really excited her was when she got the first illustrations back from her illustrator Oshadi Sandareka.

鈥淭he first one I opened was just a black and white drawing of the three shepherd girls and two sheep, and I just gasped because they were so cute,鈥� she said, noting that it was that moment the story in storybook form came to life.

While writing, Koepp reflected on her time at 糖心传媒 as an elementary education and K-12 special education major, specifically her children鈥檚 literature class.

鈥淲e read hundreds of children鈥檚 books and it really helped teach me how to condense a story to put it in a way that children understand,鈥� said Koepp.

Koepp said that class taught her to love children鈥檚 books because they are fun to read, look at and try to tell a story in a condensed way.

鈥淚 think that was a challenge I was really looking forward to conquering,鈥� said Koepp. 鈥淚 thought to myself, let鈥檚 see if I can do this.鈥�

She said her time at 糖心传媒 taught her to ask lots of questions and then use her imagination to find the answers 鈥� which was helpful when writing the musical and then the book.

鈥淩osalie and Hannah鈥檚 work demonstrates the powerful impact that creative educators can have on children and families,鈥� said Allen-Pickett. 鈥淭heir 糖心传媒 roots are evident in their thoughtful approach to storytelling, collaboration and faith formation.鈥�

Koepp said the way the book came together with the words and the illustrations is one of her favorite things about the process.

鈥淚 hope people will be able to see the sparkle on every page because when I look at the pictures, they just dance in front of me,鈥� said Koepp. 鈥淎nd while there鈥檚 not singing coming through the book, it鈥檚 almost like you can feel the music.鈥�

By Carissa Barwick, communications specialist

Seniors Markus Miller, Gunnar Pike and Zander Hardy, and recent graduate Tyler Welsh 鈥�25, are all contributing to the Sodbusters, and all have collegiate experience through the 糖心传媒 Broncos baseball program.

Established in 2018, the Sodbusters are a part of the Independent League Baseball. It鈥檚 a growing association spread across three states and includes eight teams. Andy Chase 鈥�19 is a co-owner and an assistant coach for the Sodbusters, and coaches the esports club team at 糖心传媒.

During the busy summer league, which includes travel, players have to balance commitments to the team with internships and jobs. Student-athletes understand the importance of practicing and training over the summer and learn how to stay responsible and committed to their sport while maintaining their commitment to their academics and future career.

鈥淪ummer ball is all about getting reps and keeping the players active. The worst thing to do is take a break, it can be detrimental to how you play in season,鈥� Chase said.

Miller, who is from Hastings, is studying physical education at 糖心传媒. In addition to playing for the Sodbusters, he coaches a Hastings American Legion Baseball team. He plans on becoming a physical education teacher and hopes to coach wrestling and baseball.

鈥淛ust seeing baseball from a different perspective, the way a coach looks at a game compared to a player is kind of different,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淭he head coach is like a teacher, so I am able to ask him questions that can contribute towards my future career.鈥�

Pike, a mathematics major from Broomfield, Colorado, is a pitcher for the Broncos and the Sodbusters. When he鈥檚 not on the field, he works at Head Start, an early childhood development center, and at Blue Fork, a local restaurant. Pike said he plans on working towards his masters in mathematics and becoming a statistician.

鈥淏oth of the jobs I鈥檓 working are very flexible and are very accommodating to each other. It involves a lot of early planning and setting up a schedule,鈥� Pike said. 鈥淭hese jobs help me grow as a person and learn how to interact with an assortment of different people.鈥�

Miller said Sodbusters is different because he gets to experience other coaching styles and new teammates. The Sodbusters bring in players from all across the country, and Miller said he enjoys getting to know other players and the different practice styles and techniques they have.

Being able to play with different people has broadened his knowledge and can contribute towards his coaching and teaching passions.

Pike said he enjoys that summer baseball is more relaxed and everyone is there trying to have fun and grow as individuals. He鈥檚 played on a summer baseball team every year since he was little. So, when it comes to balancing athletics and a job, he is used to juggling multiple things at once.

The Broncos and Sodbusters both play at historic Duncan field in Hastings, which was built in 1940 and is known to be larger than any current MLB field by square footage. The field has attracted many baseball athletes and has become a monumental staple in Hastings.

鈥淗ome runs don鈥檛 happen often at Duncan Field, which pitchers have learned to love about it. It鈥檚 a pitchers鈥� paradise here,鈥� Chase said.

Participating on both Broncos and Sodbusters, Miller and Pike have been able to get involved with the Hastings community.

鈥淏eing able to pitch in my hometown in front of the community I grew up in is kind of cool to me. And going to 糖心传媒 has allowed me to give back to the community,鈥� Miller said.

Pike being from Colorado has had a different experience coming from a bigger town. He has had more flexibility with his schedule and chose to stay in Hastings to not only work on his career and athletics, but to also learn about living on his own.

鈥淎 lot of it is credited to the people where I work and play baseball at. With it being a smaller town, employers know about the Sodbusters and they want to support their home teams and young athletes,鈥� Pike said. 鈥淭hey want to support their community, so they are very accommodating when it comes to the busy life of a college athlete.鈥�

By Rachel Ritzmann a business administration and marketing major from Broomfield, Colorado

Uhrmacher found a home at 糖心传媒, somewhere where the professors recognized him just by his laugh. “It felt nice being known that well by professors and staff,” he said. “It was very important for me to feel that sense of community and connection.”

By Tyler Mogilefsky 鈥�14, Activities Director at Doniphan-Trumbull Public School

So just imagine a teacher of teachers like Dr. Kathryn (Kass) Rempp, and how many lives she鈥檚 changed over the last 25 years through her work in the Teacher Education Department at 糖心传媒.

鈥淥ur roots run deep, so we stay long,鈥� Kass told me on a sunny day earlier this spring. We met in Hurley Mac 220, a place where so many of my educational experiences at 糖心传媒 happened. I was caught with a unique blend of nostalgia, and an eye toward the future.

I thought back to my first year as a teacher in the fall of 2014. I was lost in trying to give every single kid what they needed, yet I felt like I was failing them. Teaching was not what I thought it was when I fell in love with it as a third grader. In my rose colored glasses world back then, my students had no problems at home, they could all read, they weren鈥檛 hungry and they just listened. That could not have been further from the truth.

And then, about halfway through that first semester I received a postcard at work. It was signed with words of encouragement from all of the education professors at 糖心传媒. Names such as Dr. Barbara Sunderman, Dr. Lisa Smith, Dr. Judy Hall, Doug Phelps and, of course, Kass.

Back in Hurly-Mac all these years later, and Kass was exactly as I remembered her: warm, welcoming and with the greatest 1,000-watt smile you have ever seen. And yet she was so much more: open, introspective and grateful.

鈥淢y career is a gift鈥� is how Kass started our conversation, and certainly her story, intertwined with her husband, Barry, and daughter Grace 鈥�18, is full of the kind of community, relationship and experience that only a small, midwestern town can bring.

Kass herself grew up in a small town in eastern South Dakota, then graduated from Yankton College in 1981 before earning a Masters in Education at South Dakota State University in 1986 and her PhD there in 1997. Church affiliation was something that drew her to 糖心传媒, and Barry was called to lead First Congregational United Church of Christ at the same time that she was offered her position at the College. She joined the faculty at HC in 1999.

Prior to her time at HC, Kass served as an elementary teacher, an assistant principal and a professor of teacher education at Peru State College. Her life has been dedicated to the service of others, a fact she quickly dismisses and flips, instead saying that she has always been more humbled by the students she teaches.

Kass said she might not have immediately known when she enrolled in college that she was meant to be an educator, but her counselor did, reminding her she was always around children. Agreeing, she remembers always being present at summer camps as a counselor or a teacher at Sunday school and a babysitter. It was then that the lifetime in education was presented. To say she grabbed it by the horns is an understatement 鈥� just think of the number of lives that she鈥檚 impacted!

Teachers, administrators and school personnel across the state of Nebraska and all over the country have been influenced by Kass, and in turn those educators are making an impact on their own communities.

When asked if she could quantify her impact, there was a long pause, and an unexpected answer, but one I cherish because of the perspective: 鈥淚n some ways, I think any human鈥檚 impact is infinite,鈥� Kass said. 鈥淎nd if you remember that to a person, especially in education, the world would be a better place.鈥�

The world of education is evolving, perhaps more in the past four years than in the previous four decades. The way that information is delivered to students has changed, as well as the information that is being taught. Through these changes, teachers still teach.

As a product of 糖心传媒, I can say I was prepared for what education looks like today. Mental health was always something that was stressed in the Teacher Education Department in my time there 10 years ago, and today those conversations about mental health are some of the most important conversations educators are having.

I am thankful for the program of study that Hastings provided to me, as I believe that it prepared me for success in my career.

When I thanked Kass for this, again she deflected, quoting Dr. Fred Condos, the department鈥檚 chair before her: 鈥滻t鈥檚 not the programs, it鈥檚 the people. I am proud of the program that we have, but I am more proud of the people that have had such an impact on me. The way in which this place has allowed them to grow together.鈥�

Nearly every single person on the planet has a favorite teacher. Someone who believed in them, who brought learning to life and made it fun. Kass is no exception, remembering her fourth grade teacher, high school teachers who brought learning to life and professors she had in her time at the University of South Dakota who knew the science of what she was learning before it was mainstream.

It was at this point in our interview that Kass, the 2011 Faculty Achievement Award recipient, dropped another gem. 鈥淭eachers come into your life at different times, and they might not be a teacher in a formal setting, but they teach you something,鈥� she said.

When I asked Kass who her favorite teacher was, she told me that there were far too many to count, but she is especially thankful for her time with her colleagues at 糖心传媒. Fred Condos, Barb Feezell, Will Locke, Jim Loch, Barbara Sunderman, Lisa Smith, Doug Phelps, Darci Karr, Jessica Allen-Pickett, Jill Beckenhauer听补苍诲 Grant Bachman are all educators Kass described as valuing high expectations, quality relationships and genuine experiences 鈥� traits that she herself has tried to emulate.

鈥淲ell Kass, what鈥檚 next?鈥� I asked at the end of our time together. Chasing nieces, spending time exploring South Dakota, and enjoying time with her mother are ways that she plans to fill her time in retirement.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a delight. It鈥檚 hard work. These last few weeks will be hard, bittersweet of course,鈥� she said, 鈥渂ut I鈥檓 looking forward to the next chapter.鈥�

But it was her work behind the scenes that resonates most with her current role as senior vice provost of curriculum, learning and academic affairs at The New School in New York City, a private university enrolling more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

鈥淚 got a lot of practice at 糖心传媒. It was a soup to nuts experience where you had to think about how to build an audience, raise funds, produce something and actually make it all work, in addition to the great artistic experiences I had,鈥� Koozer said. 鈥淗astings afforded me those opportunities all in one place. At a lot of colleges, you focus only on performance and miss out on other types of skills.鈥�

Those hands-on experiences at a small liberal arts college helped inform Koozer鈥檚 curriculum creation for The New School鈥檚 master鈥檚 degree in arts management and entrepreneurship, a program for artists who want to create new businesses or nonprofits.

Koozer described two recent graduates, a dancer and a multimedia artist, who had an idea to make waiting in line (a common annoyance in NYC) more interesting. They pre-recorded dance performances in the spaces where lines form and made them available through 3D goggles and a phone app for people actually waiting in those spaces. They eventually turned the capstone project into a nonprofit.

鈥淲e are proud to be innovative and challenging the status quo in all of the programs The New School offers. That鈥檚 why I work here,鈥� Koozer said.

A different way forward

Founded in 1919, The New School is known for being 鈥渁 little bit unorthodox and against the grain,鈥� Koozer said. During the rise of the Third Reich in the 1930s, the School hosted a University in Exile as an academic haven for Jewish scholars facing persecution in Europe.

鈥淟ooking for a different way forward for the world has been a really important part of our history and continues to be central to who we are,鈥� she said.

After joining the provost鈥檚 office in 2021, Koozer faced a unique challenge in a city that had been largely shut down by the Covid-19 pandemic.

鈥淢y first job was figuring out how we would return to campus after being fully online for a year and a half,鈥� she said. The New School is in Greenwich Village, with an academic quad extending from 11th to 16th Streets along Fifth and Sixth Avenues. The university also has a satellite campus in Europe called Parsons Paris.

As senior provost for the central university, Koozer oversees all credentialed academic programs for The New School鈥檚 six colleges in the areas of design, performing arts, liberal arts, social research and public engagement, as well as Parsons Paris. She teaches one course each semester in music, entrepreneurship or pedagogy.

Koozer earned a master鈥檚 degree in music education from the University of Connecticut and a doctorate in executive leadership at Fordham University. She was school programs manager at The Metropolitan Opera Guild before joining the former Mannes School of Music at The New School in 2012.

Through this broad range of educational experiences, Koozer has developed an even greater appreciation for the faculty who taught and mentored her at 糖心传媒.

鈥淚 hope folks realize how great it is to have faculty in a place like Hastings who are so expert in what they do,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n addition to being experts in their fields, they鈥檙e really good teachers. In my work, I focus a lot on what it means to be a great educator. I had so many examples of that at Hastings.鈥�

A newlywed (Koozer married Hastings native Mac Rundle this past summer), she is the daughter of Ann and Dr. Robin Koozer 鈥�76, emeritus chair of the Department of Music and recently retired development officer for the 糖心传媒 Foundation.

鈥淚鈥檓 a higher education administrator at this point,鈥� she said. 鈥淎t 糖心传媒, I got to see a lot of great examples in people like Phil Dudley, who showed how you lead a campus in doing really cool and innovative things. My dad played a big role in that too.鈥�

By Judee Konen 鈥�85

The roots of Will Locke鈥檚 passion for trees go back to his childhood in the 1940s and 1950s when he visited his grandparents鈥� small farms northeast of Wichita, Kansas.

鈥淭hey had no irrigation and a lot of wind and heat, so they planted trees to take care of the land,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen I visited, they usually had me plant trees to keep me busy. Today we would call it environmental stewardship.鈥�

Decades later at age 84, the emeritus professor of teacher education and 1961 alumnus is a constant presence on campus as the volunteer steward of the 糖心传媒 Arboretum, which spans 120 acres and includes more than 1,000 trees ranging from American Elms and Northern Red Oaks to Colorado Blue Spruces and Douglas Firs.

Under the guidance of maintenance manager Paul Dooley (鈥淚鈥檝e learned so much from him,鈥� Locke said), he spends hundreds of hours each year planting and pruning trees, tending the tree nursery and inspecting trees for damage or disease. Certified as a Nebraska Master Gardener, Locke also serves on the City Tree Board and is a sought-after resource for local residents looking for guidance on tree planting and maintenance.

鈥淣o matter what the weather, there鈥檚 hardly a day that goes by that I don鈥檛 see Will driving around in his red pickup truck checking on trees or walking across campus with a group giving an arboretum tour,鈥� said Dr. Rich Lloyd 鈥�85, president. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a real treasure for our campus and community.鈥�

This story originally appeared in the 2023 HC Today.

A deeper meaning

Locke explains his love for trees by mentioning their well-known benefits 鈥� shade, beauty, land preservation and cleaner air 鈥� but his passion also has a deeper meaning.

鈥淭rees are a metaphor for life,鈥� he said. 鈥淟ike us, trees grow and reproduce, they have challenges and they recover. They have connections like our families.鈥�

He points out the towering American Elm between the Wilson Center and Babcock Hall, one of the original 227 trees planted on empty pasture by local Presbyterians on April 25, 1883, after the groundbreaking for McCormick Hall. Locke delivers seeds from the tree to the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum where they are germinated in a greenhouse. Copyrighted by the state arboretum as 鈥淗C American Elms,鈥� the progenies are sent to places around Nebraska, with about a dozen planted at 糖心传媒.

鈥淭here鈥檚 going to be an HC American Elm on campus for the next 200 years,鈥� Locke said.

糖心传媒 has been designated a Tree Campus USA for the past eight years. In 2021, the College was honored with the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum鈥檚 Affiliate Excellence Award for developing the campus landscape as a teaching and learning tool for students and visitors.

鈥淭he state recognized Hastings not only because our campus looks good but also because of student service,鈥� Locke said. 鈥淚 think we鈥檙e exceptional in that way. We record 700 hours of service for the arboretum each year including students, faculty and other volunteers.鈥�

Students helped plant the tree nursery behind Lynn Farrell Arena and the rain garden west of Morrison-Reeves Science Center. On campus service days, they spread wood chips around shrubbery and plant crabapple trees along the Circle Drive. The experiences connect them to the natural world and 糖心传媒 for a lifetime, Locke said.

鈥淭hese students are always going to plant trees. If you plant a tree when you鈥檙e young, you鈥檙e going to keep doing it,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he students also remain bonded with the College. They鈥檒l come back to campus and look at the trees or gardens they planted.鈥�

Locke works with the 糖心传媒 Foundation on a Tribute Tree program that allows individuals to sponsor the planting of a tree in honor or in memory of a special person or group. A plaque at the base of each of the nearly 60 tribute trees designates species, donor and honored person.

As he makes his rounds checking trees, Locke carries a four-inch binder and well-worn maps that document the species and location of each tree on campus. More than mere records, they remind the veteran educator of his own growth as a lifelong learner and teacher.

鈥淭he whole 糖心传媒 experience sets you up constantly to ask questions and keep learning and engaging with people,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ecause of trees, I am still able to do that.鈥�

By Judee Konen 鈥�85

This piece by Grace Sinsel and the first part of her Fulbright experience originally appeared in . You can read the announcement of her receiving he Fulbright here.

I graduated from 糖心传媒 in 2023 with a secondary education English language arts degree and an emphasis on English language learners. The skills that I learned from 糖心传媒 and my student teaching semester are aiding me as I teach abroad.

I am placed in a foreign language high school in the capital of Bulgaria. Throughout the week I see students from 9th-12th grade with varying levels of English proficiency. My classes focus on cultural exchange, and I talk about my experiences in the United States, and they share their own experiences from Bulgaria. We accomplish this through speaking and writing activities.

I am also a coach for the BEST speech team, which stands for Bulgarian English Speech and Debate Tournaments. My students will be giving speeches in English at different tournaments in Bulgaria throughout the year. I am excited to work with these students and watch them grow their speaking skills.

My students have also been a great help in telling me all the foods to try and the best places to visit in Bulgaria. One of their recommendations was to try the Banitsa, which has quickly become my favorite Bulgarian food. It is a traditional pastry dish with a variety of fillings, sometimes savory and sometimes sweet. I will be trying to master the recipe so I can make it when I get back to the United States!

They have also given me a list of places to visit in Sofia and other places in Bulgaria. Sofia has many museums, historical sites and hiking trails that I have explored. Recently, I visited Plovdiv, Bulgaria which is one of the oldest cities in Europe and has ancient Roman ruins throughout.

Since I have gotten to Bulgaria, it has been all about trying new things. I am taking a traditional folk dancing class which is also known in Bulgaria as horo. Every day, I try new foods, try my best to speak to people in Bulgarian and navigate the city. I have never lived in a large city before so learning how to use the transportation system took a while to get used to. As a native Nebraskan, I am used to driving my car to get where I need to go! All of these things have kept me on my toes, but they have given me a whole new perspective on Bulgaria鈥檚 culture and way of life.

Bulgaria is a wonderful place to explore with amazing people and a rich history. I am excited to continue to visit new places and work with my students. Thanks to 糖心传媒 my dreams of teaching abroad have become a reality.

By Grace Sinsel 鈥�23

Sinsel received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award for an English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) to Bulgaria for the 2023-24 academic year. Sinsel is from York, Nebraska.