Two NWU Journeys

By Janelle Andreini ('94)

Do you remember when you realized who you were meant to be? Some say it was a moment, but that seems a little too poetic. I think that more often it’s an experience that stays with you. Or a relationship with someone who saw something in you that you didn’t see in yourself. Maybe it’s the accumulation of all those things.

Nebraska Wesleyan University a place where life-changing moments, experiences and relationships coalesce and lead students to their future paths. I saw it as director of the NWU Career Center, I see it now as an assistant dean, and I felt it when I was a student.

When Hannah Rittscher (’18) came into my office in the Career Center her first year, in many ways I saw myself my first year.

Hannah had come to Nebraska Wesleyan for volleyball, but she could feel that passion waning. In her small hometown, she had been “Hannah, the athlete,” and she assumed that’s who she would be in college. It didn’t take her long to realize that’s not who she was anymore. She wanted to explore other options, but she didn’t know yet who this new Hannah was.

I too came to Nebraska Wesleyan from a small town. I had always been the leader, always at the top of my class. When I got to college, I was full of questions. How did I fit in? Could I compete on a larger playing field? I started doubting myself. I was trying to figure out what I truly valued.

My first semester I had a class with Professor of Psychology Ken Keith. Ken had a personal connection to The Gathering Place, a soup kitchen here in Lincoln, and he was looking for students to join him and volunteer. He asked me specifically. I was hesitant to commit, but he encouraged me to give it a try.

I loved it so much I ended up volunteering there all four years of college. Ken saw into my heart. He knew I had something to offer, that serving others was something I could excel at and be passionate about.

And I was starting to acknowledge that myself.

My entire NWU experience was filled with those kinds of relationships. I was surrounded by people who saw all the good things in me that I didn’t see myself. People who challenged me to rethink my identity. People who truly saw me.

That afternoon in my office, I truly saw Hannah. I saw a student who was thoughtful, cared deeply about her education, and wanted to serve others in meaningful ways. She was intelligent—a leader able to think about challenges in complex ways. I think that may be what I (and others here at NWU), have offered Hannah. We have seen and made her aware of the strengths she clearly possesses.

After she left our meeting, I stood in my doorway and said to the rest of my office, “I want to hire that student.” A week later, I did hire her. Hannah has worked in the Career Center ever since. I still meet with her regularly, and she still inspires me.

Early on, I told her she would be a great candidate for Global Service Learning. Since then, she has gone on service trips to Thailand, Guatemala, New Orleans and Denver. She declared a communication studies major. She coordinated the Business Summit Pitch Contest, organized the Internship Showcase, served as an orientation leader, completed two internships, and is the student member of the Forum Committee. The list goes on.

But this story isn’t about her accomplishments. It’s about her journey.

Frederick Buechner said, “Your vocation in life is where your greatest joy meets the world's greatest need.” Aligning those two things is often pure happenstance. Our careers often happen because we’re in the right place at the right time. That’s what I do—I encourage students to be in the right place at the right time. It still takes motivation and drive on their part, but at NWU we are setting them on the path to get there.

Hannah recently revealed to me that she is considering pursuing a career in higher education with an emphasis in student affairs. She even told me, “I want to be the Janelle in other students’ lives.” Ken Keith was right. I think I was meant to serve others all along.

I’ve spent over half of my life on this campus. I give back to the university because I know that my gifts support everything I love about this place. It gives faculty and staff the resources they need to continue to inspire their students. It keeps class sizes small in order for us to further those personal relationships. It gives students opportunities like service learning, internships and study abroad that allow them to explore the world and also themselves. And it gives students like Hannah the scholarships that make an NWU education possible in the first place.

Hannah once told me that Nebraska Wesleyan has made her realize she could be anything she wanted to be. Supporting NWU does more than strengthen this university. It gives our students the confidence to imagine all the possibilities for the future, and it gives us the ability to help them get there.

Janelle Andreini (’94) is Assistant Dean for Student Success and Campus Community.