Embracing an Audience
Talking in front of a room full of people isn’t high on the list of favorite things for most people. But for Kari Van Nostrand, commanding an audience is where she feels most at home.
The senior from Clarinda, Iowa, has been a key member of Midland’s Speech & Debate squad for several years, competing and excelling at the state and national levels.
“Collegiate Speech & Debate is based on argumentation and creating formatted speeches to prove your argument with evidence,” Kari said. “Basically, I can talk about anything I want in a 10-minute speech, and make it meaningful and have purpose behind it. It provides me with a unique ability to express myself and talk about things that are important to me, but in a clever and concise way. It’s been great to work with Adam (Knowlton, Professor of Communications, Director of Forensics) and our team is like a close-knit family.”
Kari exhibits no fear during her speeches, something she said is a product of having outgoing parents. “My mom is a United Methodist pastor, and my dad has worked in newspapers for 30 years, so both of them are very personable and used to talking with people,” she said. “I feel comfortable being in front of people, getting their attention, and talking about things they need to know.”
As a Secondary Education major, Kari believes that openness to share information with others will prove to be a natural transition into a teaching position. “Education is about spreading knowledge and helping them know how to use it in daily life,” she said. “I want to be an outlet for students to explore, express themselves, and take what they learn into their future.”
Speech & Debate and Theatre were Kari’s passions in high school. When an older friend attended Midland and told Kari she could do both in college, she was sold. However, she has also been involved in Alpha Psi Omega, Sigma Tau Delta, Tri Phi sorority, and the Howard Hanson Honors Program. “If I’m not busy, I don’t feel productive,” she said. “To be able to do all those things at one university has been really cool.”
While she’s not shy about being in front of people, one of the things that sold Kari on Midland was the “small-town” feel. “I come from a town of 5,000 people and graduated with 70 in my class, so I was looking for something a little smaller,” she said. “It’s been easy to get to know my professors and peers, and that’s what I wanted. It has been nice to be somewhere that’s based on connecting with people, building community, and getting to know people on a personal level.”
She will be a student teacher in the English department at Fremont High School in the spring. With endorsements in both English and Theatre, she would love the opportunity to work in Theater as well as Speech & Debate wherever she ends up.
“I’m used to smaller schools, so I’d like to stay small if I could,” she said. “I want to be a resource to those communities, and teach the importance of arts and literature to students, and show that you can emerge from a small school and do big things.”
As a career in education looms, Kari embraces her final year as a Warrior. She will perform in Into the Woods, which will be the final production of her college career, and is looking forward to more Speech & Debate competitions, including the national championships in March in Athens, Ohio.
“I’ve had a great time at Midland, and I’m very thankful for it,” Kari said. “I’ve learned so much from my professors and classmates, and I’m excited to share what I’ve learned here into the lives of other students.”
Kari Van Nostrand is a senior Secondary Education major from Clarinda, Iowa.
