By Luke Johnson
The past academic year has looked quite a bit different at St. Norbert College. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the many additional precautions that are being taken on campus, some students have been finishing out their last year at SNC in a different way than they likely envisioned.
Let’s take a moment to hear from some of our very own Honors Program seniors as they approach their final weeks at St. Norbert College. We took a moment to ask these students a few questions about their time at SNC (and the Honors Program!), their advice to younger students, and their post-graduation plans.
Brianna Amore
Major: Accounting
Minor: Spanish
Hometown: Fredonia, WI
Favorite part about SNC and the Honors Program: “My favorite thing about SNC has to be all of the lifelong friends I have made. I can’t imagine where I would be without these amazing people in my life. My favorite part of the Honors Program was being part of a group of people that pushed me and challenged me to be the best version of myself, both personally and academically.”
Advice to younger students: “I have two main pieces of advice. First, it is okay to not have your mind completely made up right away. I went through a few periods of time where I didn’t know what I wanted to do. It was through my experiences and self-reflection that I really discovered what I wanted. I think stepping outside of my comfort zone to explore areas that I never would have considered really helped me set my life goals. Second, college is about school primarily, but other aspects are just as important. Living away from your family with others, maintaining a social life, and being actively involved on campus are just as important in getting the full college experience. I would advise others to take advantage of all of the opportunities that St. Norbert has to offer because these 4 years go by so fast! Make sure you enjoy all of the ride!”
Post-graduation plans: “I have accepted a position on the Audit and Assurance team at Deloitte in Milwaukee. I plan to take the CPA exam this summer. I will be living in Grafton with another member of the Honors Program, Anna Lipscomb. We met in Bergstrom and have been friends since freshman year!”
Devin Winkler
Major: Biology (biomedical science)
Hometown: New London, WI
Favorite part about SNC and the Honors Program: “My favorite thing about SNC and the Honors Program has been the people. I have met lifelong friends who I will continue to stay connected to after graduation.”
Advice to younger students: “To make the most of your four years here. It may seem like it goes by slowly when it’s viewed day-to-day, but as most seniors I’m sure would agree, the four years really flies by. Get out of your comfort zone, try new things, meet new people, and enjoy the short amount of time you have at SNC.”
Post-graduation plans: “I will be moving to Philadelphia to attend Drexel University College of Medicine and pursue my Doctorate of Medicine (MD).”
Brittany Wagner
Majors: Psychology & Spanish
Hometown: New Holstein, WI
Favorite part about SNC and the Honors Program: “My favorite thing about SNC is the people. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming, which is one of the big reasons why I initially chose to come here. My favorite thing about the Honors Program is how supportive everyone is. The Honors Program staff are always there to help us succeed.”
Advice to younger students: “As an honors kid, you care a lot about your grades, but they are not as important as your mental health. Take some time for yourself because YOU are what matters. If you get a B, it is not the end of the world, I promise.”
Post-graduation plans: “Next fall, I will be starting an M.A. program in forensic psychology at California Baptist University.”
William Ulrich
Major: Biochemistry
Minor: Mathematics
Hometown: Waukesha, WI
Favorite part about SNC and the Honors Program: “My favorite thing about SNC is the sense of community between students and faculty. The professors want you to succeed and will commonly go out of their way to help you if needed. They gave me guidance and direction throughout my undergraduate career and it is something I am very thankful for as I reflect on my time at St. Norbert College.”
Advice to younger students: “This is rather boring advice, but I recommend studying for classes and reading a book occasionally about a topic that interests you. You may learn about a career path that is something you want to pursue, and generally speaking, having a good GPA removes many barriers for achieving your desired career path.”
Post-graduation plans: “I will be attending law school at the University of Notre Dame.”
Emily Hirsch
Major: Biology (biomedical science)
Certificate: Spanish Language Certificate
Hometown: Johnson Creek, WI
Favorite part about SNC and the Honors Program: “My favorite part about SNC is the close-knit community. Your professors know your name, remember your face, and are more than willing to help you with whatever you need to succeed in their course and in your career goals. The Honors Program has provided me with some of my closest friends (from living in Bergstrom), as well as some amazing professional and leadership opportunities (Honors Student Advisory Board and Torch Leader).
I love having the opportunity to form relationships with the Program leadership and many different members of the Program on both a professional and personal level. My Honors Global Seminar to Spain was also a blast and a great opportunity to practice my Spanish language abilities while experiencing another culture and country.”
Advice to younger students: “To the younger students, I would give a very cliche piece of advice: don’t be afraid to get involved! There are so many clubs and social organizations on campus, there truly is something for everyone! Whether you want to be more on the administrative side like myself, or be involved in political or social activism, or maybe you just want to play quidditch or spikeball on the quad, there are so many amazing opportunities to get involved!”
Post-graduation plans: “My post-grad plans include moving to Iowa City, Iowa to start an Integrated Biology Ph.D. program at the University of Iowa. I’m hoping to study double-stranded DNA break repair or telomere repair, with the goal of better understanding the cellular and genetic mechanisms behind this regulated repair.”
Derek Huber
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Mathematics
Hometown: Brussels, WI
Favorite part about SNC and the Honors Program: “My favorite thing about SNC has been the class size and the professors. The professors are all very passionate about what they teach, and the small class size allows for meaningful discussions and participation. My favorite thing about the Honors Program was living in Bergstrom freshman year. It was extremely easy to make friends thanks to the communal living areas on each floor. Annual Honors trivia was fun as well!”
Advice to younger students: “I would advise younger students to put themselves out there; in other words, I’d advise them to approach classmates within their major and build relationships with them. I’d also advise them to seek what interests them the most.”
Post-graduation plans: “I plan on pursuing a full-time job in software development in the Stevens Point area.”
While the COVID-19 pandemic has created drastic changes in many of our lives, these students have continued to push forward throughout their final year at St. Norbert College. A huge congratulations to all of our graduating seniors at SNC! We look forward to seeing the great things you will continue to do in the future!
