Plans Can Change
Becoming a teacher wasn’t part of the plan for Frankie Klausen, but a visit to a local elementary school during her senior year of high school changed everything.
“Originally, I wanted to be a respiratory therapist. I had a chance to job shadow at a hospital my senior year, and I left thinking this was something I just couldn’t see myself doing every day. Then, I went on a job shadow to a sixth-grade classroom, and I walked out of there saying this is what I want to do. My parents always told me I should become a teacher, and I would always tell them that’s not what I wanted. But then I realized that getting to impact lives every day sounded pretty cool.”
Now in her senior year at Midland, the Wayne, Nebraska native is on track to fulfill that commitment. She will be a student teacher for fourth graders at Clarmar Elementary School in Fremont in the spring, then prepare herself for a full-time teaching spot in the fall.
“I hope to stay in Fremont, or in the area, to teach. I enjoy upper elementary, so I’m very excited. College has been fun, and I will be sad to see that end, but every new chapter is exciting, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the next chapter of my life will be like.”
Her career path may have changed, but her decision to attend Midland never wavered. “I took a visit to Midland my junior year, and I decided at that moment I was coming here. It felt like home, and I could tell that they cared about students and I wouldn’t just be a number. I knew I could come here, get to play basketball and get a good education.”
She also had history on her side when it came to choosing Midland. Several family members had preceded her at Midland, including her grandfather, an aunt, and her uncle, Tyler Erwin, Midland’s current men’s basketball coach. “When I was looking at schools, Tyler told me I needed to check out Midland. My grandpa also played basketball here, and my aunt played volleyball, so I knew a lot about Midland before I came here.”
Two years later, Frankie was joined on campus by her younger sister, Rubie, and they are teammates on the Warriors’ basketball team. “After high school, I never thought I’d have the chance to play with her again, so it’s been fun having her here. Some people think it’s weird to go to college with your sibling and that it’s not normal. But it’s been our normal. It’s fun to make new memories with her and see her grow at Midland.”
Frankie has done plenty of growing herself, thanks to being involved in campus activities since her arrival. She has been an Admissions Ambassador since her freshman year and has also been actively involved in FCA and SAAC. “It can get busy, but I’m doing all the things I love. Becoming an ambassador was one of the best decisions I’ve made. It’s awesome to be a part of the decision process for 18-year-olds because that can be a hard decision to make. Getting the chance to tell my story of how Midland has impacted me in a great way is always fun.”
Frankie looks forward to the next phase of her life and looks back with great memories of the path she has taken to reach this point. “The people and the atmosphere at Midland are what I enjoy the most. I feel supported here, and that’s not something you get at every place. People here want you to succeed, but they also care about you on an everyday basis.”
Frankie Klausen is an elementary education major from Wayne, Nebraska.
