Every day brings new challenges, some unexpected, some intentional. Last week I started a new challenge: a teaching degree program at South Dakota State University. I and a group of about 10 other graduate students have spent the week (and will continue this week) preparing to teach a new generation of scholars the fundamentals of communication. This is something I have been looking forward to for some time, and I am beyond grateful for this opportunity.

During our education, our teacher asked us to think of a teacher we had in the past who influenced our lives and educational path. It was impossible to choose one, as I have had several educators over the years who have inspired me. Ms. Hannemann, my first grade teacher, inspired me to “get on stage” when I acted in my first play, which was performed in the elementary school library and was a short adaptation of “The Three Goats Gruff.” Ms. Stoffel, my middle school English teacher, inspired me to read everything by Ernest Hemmingway. In high school, my history and social studies teacher, Ms. Benz, planted a seed in me that blossomed into a love for the historical and a passion for seeking answers. While at the Defense Information School in Fort Meade, Maryland, my journalism teacher, Ms. Hood, encouraged me to try new writing styles and helped me realize that I have a passion for telling other people’s stories. During my time in college, I had many lecturers and professors who encouraged me to seek out new information, different opinions, and to rethink my priorities. One of the most memorable teaching moments I ever had was from Dr. Kuehl, my rhetoric professor. She said, “Research is self-searching,” meaning that the questions we often seek to answer in our research are somehow related to ourselves, our lived experiences, and the questions we have about our own existence. Dr. Anderson and Dr. Hunter helped me recognize my own case of imposter syndrome and what I needed to do to get over it and realize that I am more intelligent than I give myself credit for, and that I am worthy of being where I am and taking on the responsibility I have been given to help shape the next generation of communicators. Outside the walls of an academic institution, I have had many other teachers in my life who have taught me all about compassion, self-control, hard work, and so many life skills that you can’t learn in a classroom.

For all of these lessons and all of the support I’ve received from the sidelines, I’m eternally grateful. If you’re reading this and thinking about going back to school or otherwise challenging yourself to learn something new, I hope you remember that someone else believes in you and is cheering you on, especially me!