I’ve wanted to be a teacher ever since I can remember. When I was little I would line up my stuffed animals and pass out to them the papers that I had brought home from school that day and “teach” them whatever I had just learned. Sure, there were a few years in high school when I decided that being a teacher would be the worst decision I could ever make. By the time I was a senior and deciding on a major, I realized I had never been able to fully picture myself doing anything else. So I started at Southwestern Adventist University with a major in English, a minor in music, an emphasis in secondary education, and a promise to myself that if I hated it after a year, I would change my major. I absolutely loved it. The professors are so dedicated and full of knowledge. One of the great things about Southwestern is how all of the professors genuinely care about you as a person and want to see you succeed.

Since graduating, I’ve published a book series with fellow alum Devin Anavitarte called The Shepherds of Oldaem (Volumes 1 and 2, available on Amazon). Now, after teaching for several years at South Texas Christian Academy, I am pursuing a graduate degree at our sister school, Andrews University. Going to Southwestern Adventist University was a great chapter of my life, one that helped prepare me for the beginning of this new chapter.

Stephanie (Rudisaile) Wilczynski, English, 2014