By: Derek Hottenstein
St. Norbert College has always taken great pride in its dedication to Communio. Bringing people together, forging a connected community, and having fun along the way might as well be the SNC motto. And what better way to help achieve all of that than with social media? It has a way of bringing all the fun times home to you, for you to watch and join to your heart’s content. And trust me when I say that St. Norbert, especially the SNC Honors Program, has plenty of fun times to spare. This year, those experiences, along with all the other information that Honors students need to know about fellow students and events, are being brought to you by two underclassmen students: Abbygale Langer and me, Derek Hottenstein. Together, we run the Honors Instagram page, and we have many exciting things planned. But first, let’s get to know the fam behind the Instagram.
Abbygale is a first-year student currently pursuing a nursing major. She’s living the Bergstrom lifestyle to the fullest and has so much to share about her SNC adventure so far. She chose this college because of how much it feels like a real community, with it being part of the city and also secluded at the same time. She chose the Honors program for its opportunities and the chance to meet like-minded students.
Outside of school, Abbygale enjoys reading, making crafts, and being active, with water skiing and hiking being particular favorites of hers. She joined the social media team because “I’ve always had an interest in video editing and photography. I love the freedom I have with being creative and messing around with fun ideas!” She hopes that being on the team will help her gain experience in useful skills, such as speaking in front of a camera and leadership.
She said that looking at the Honors Instagram account helped her make her decision to join last year, and she’d like to help replicate that for future students by giving them an “inside look” of what Honors really is. Focusing beyond that into the future, Abbygale is charting her course towards becoming a nurse practitioner after graduation and maybe even running her own practice one day.
And then there’s me, Derek, the second half of this dynamic duo. He’s a current Sophomore and returning member of the Honors Social Media Team. He’s a finance major with a minor in communication, and he chose SNC for its coziness and charm. Being from a small town, he wanted a similar homey vibe for his college experience, and he found it at SNC. He joined the Honors Program for the chance to share good times with good people.
Outside of school, Derek is an avid pursuer of all the extracurricular activities that this campus offers. He’s the treasurer of two clubs and the secretary of another, he has been in two plays and one upcoming musical, and he’s involved in Student Government and several of its committees.
He decided to join the social media team last year because he was on the school news team in high school, which had him responsible for writing recaps of sports games, giving weather reports, and interviewing students. He wanted to continue a similar path here and continue to improve his digital editing skills. Additionally, he enjoys making fun videos and graphics. After graduation, Derek is pursuing a financial advising or management position.
They say that fun multiplies when you share it with someone else. That’s exactly what Derek and Abbygale are hoping to achieve with the team this year. They’ve got tons of great content lined up, so stay tuned. And the next time you open the Instagram page and feel a little bit happier than before, you now know all about the two people who were making it happen.
