Student Ambassadors
Our student ambassadors provide campus tours and represent Ridgewater at campus and community events.
Hutchinson Campus contact:
Davontay Stevens, [email protected], 320-234-8551
Willmar Campus contacts:
Amy Birkland, [email protected], 320-222-5977
Willmar Campus Ambassadors
Hometown: Clara City, MN
Program/Major: Elementary Education Foundations Transfer Pathway
Activities Outside of School: Ambassador Program and Work
You’re only 1 person and there is a limit to how much you can handle each day. Ultimately, school comes first.
All of them! Having people you know and support you in college is really important; especially in the classes and clubs, you’re involved in.
Kaleb Krupa
Hometown: Willmar, MN
Program/Major: Liberal Arts & Sciences/Pre-Nursing
Activities Outside of School: President of the GSA prism, Vice President of Student Senate
What’s our new-student pro tip?
Get involved in college and don’t get behind in coursework.
What’s your favorite campus connection you’ve made so far at Ridgewater and why?
My favorite connection on campus is all of the amazing staff that works here on campus.
Sydney Offerdahl
Program: Vet Tech
Hometown: Becker, MN
Activities Outside of School: swimming for fun, gaming, watching TV and movies (especially Marvel), playing with my cat, cooking, baking, reading, and doing spontaneous things!
What’s our new student pro tip:
FIND HOUSING! It was very difficult for me as a first-year to find an apartment in the summer since everything was full. Also, recommend getting a roommate, sometimes they can be your friend for a very long time after college.
What class has been your favorite so far and why?
I love my Vet Nursing class. We learned a lot of information on not only how to restrain an animal to not injure staff, but also to not have the dog injured by whatever we were doing. We did a lot of blood draws on dogs and cats and each had a different behavior than the last. It made me feel like we were really doing real-life vet tech work! We even take care of the animals we have on-site and you automatically fall in love with them (especially doing kennel duty and walks)
Tallie Prekker
Hometown: Clara City, MN
Program: Liberal Arts and Sciences / General Education
Activities Outside of School: Writing, collecting keychains, watching movies, gardening, walking, ice skating, listening to music, shopping, snowmobiling, and I like to travel/explore new places.
What class has been your favorite so far and why?
I don’t just have one favorite class, but I would say College Composition and Introduction to Psychology have been a blast for me! I am learning many new ideas to help me become a better student and I am very happy to be in college. My other classes are just as great as the others.
What’s your favorite campus connection you’ve made so far at Ridgewater and why?
I have made so many connections, it’s amazing!! I am going to mention a few people who have really impacted me thus far, Jay Morrison, Amy Birkland, Mikiaela Meyer, Thomas Tie and I know I’m forgetting to mention many more! They all have tremendously helped me in so many ways. Thank You!
Devonte Tyler
Hometown: Augusta, GA
Program/Major: Nursing
Activities Outside of School: Spending time with my wife, playing video games with my 3 boys, and getting manicures with my daughter.
What’s your favorite class so far and why?
My favorite class is a tie between Death and Dying and Microbiology. The reason for this is that the instructors opened my eyes to a lot of things that I did not know and they made it really enjoyable to learn.
What’s your favorite campus connection so far at Ridgewater and why?
My favorite connection that I have made is professor Lori Park. After taking her death and dying class I knew that I wanted to be a hospice nurse. She has so helped me get involved in the community such as in the lunch buddies program which has allowed me to work with the youth in our community.
Emily Grauper
Hometown: Bloomington, MN
Program: Veterinary Technology
Activities Outside of School: Hiking, drawing, and writing.
New Student Pro-Tip: make friends within your classes, they can help with studying and getting assignments.
One thing you wish you knew when you started College: how different it is from high school, how independent you have to be.
Cadence Larson
Hometown: Benson, MN
Program: Ag Business
Activities: Farm, spend time with friends and family
One thing I wish I knew before I started at Ridgewater: I didn’t have to be so afraid of being in a new place and that I can be comfortable there.
New Student Pro-Tip: Always have an open mind.
Abbi Hauschildt
Hometown: Baldwin, WI
Program: Veterinary Technology
Activities outside of class: Dance Team Coach
What class has been your favorite so far and why?
VNTE Anatomy and Physiology was my favorite class last year because of all the cool things Roxanne would show us about animals.
What’s one thing you wish you would’ve known when you started?
I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn’t expect it to be as hard as it is. I want people to know that high school does not prepare you for how difficult college is and how to adjust to a new place away from home, but it gets easier as you find friends within your program.
Maya Ramirez
Hometown: Willmar, MN
Program: Generals & Graphic Design
Activities Outside of School: I work at an adult foster home company (Supportive Lifestyles), love to draw, watch dramas, hang out with friends & listen to music
I haven’t yet started with my schedule since it’s my 1st year here but I have a feeling I will really enjoy psychology and graphic visualization.
I really enjoy meeting and connecting with other fellow ambassadors. I also like how I am meeting new people in the process and slowly becoming familiarized with the school and staff around me.
Hutchinson Campus Ambassadors
Madison Rutt
Hometown: Stewart MN
Program of study: Liberal Arts and Science
Activities outside of class: Being an ambassador for Ridgewater College
One thing I wish I knew when starting college: How many hours you are expected to work on a class outside of school, for every hour you have of that class in school.
Favorite class: Elementary Art Education – It is an easy-going class that is very open-minded and creative! I love seeing what new project is happening for the week.
New student pro-tip: Be prepared for more accountability.
Heidi Sabacky
Hometown: Hutchinson
Program of Study: Web Development
Activities Outside of Class: Reading, photography, and homework!
One thing you wish you knew when you started college: It’s doable.
What is your favorite class and why? Art of Digital Photography is my favorite class so far, it’s fun, it’s interesting and really gets you out of your comfort zone.
New Student Pro-Tip: Write down your assignments and to-dos broken into each class, makes it so much easier and less overwhelming!
