Angela Haas

My journey with Ridgewater College started with a phone call to an admissions rep asking how it would be possible for me to become a student at Ridgewater, but not starting until the end of September due to an exchange student opportunity I was offered in Germany the summer after I graduated high school. They were supportive of me going on my trip and helped me connect with my professors prior to leaving to get the materials I would be missing out on in the first month of classes. I was so thankful for them being willing to work with me and to let me start in the fall semester even though I was coming in a month late!

During my two years at Ridgewater, I felt supported academically by my professors who cared, were personable, and were very helpful when I had questions. I made lots of lifelong friendships with students who lived in surrounding towns, near Willmar where I grew up, which I am so thankful for today. Someone who really impacted my life during my years at Ridgewater was my advisor, Jenna Hanson. I remember at the end of the fall semester my second year I met with her to explain where I was struggling in my life. I wanted to be an event planner for a college, but I didn’t know if I could make a career out of that. Jenna advised me to get a public relations major with a minor in mass communications and do internships in event planning, which is exactly what I ended up doing. After receiving my bachelor’s degree from MSUM in public relations I have had three successful event planning jobs, which has led me to where I am today. Currently, I am the Student Activities and Wellness Coordinator here at Ridgewater College and I couldn’t be happier to have this position, “my dream job”!