Alexa Schmitz
Wartburg College
Alexa has served as student director for our Volunteer Action Center for the past two years. In this role, she directs the organization and coordinates various projects, annual events, and service days. Alexa collaborates with student organizations, prepares marketing materials and implement strategies to promote the VAC organization, and oversees budgeting.
In her work as an active citizen, she has taken a lead role with Bremwood, as a youth mentor, meeting weekly with a young girl at the treatment center in Waverly. Using creativity to plan games and activities to promote learning and foster a loving and secure relationship, encouraging the girl as she prepares for her future.
Alexa is truly a deserving candidate for this fellowship because of her contribution to society and her tremendous amount of leadership and self-motivation.
Personal Statement
The education I have received at Wartburg College has allowed me to learn to develop my critical thinking, and to apply my knowledge in many ways. The professors and the coursework have cultivated my ethical judgment, and have modeled integrity that I believe will also always be a part of my life goals. Attending a liberal arts college has enabled me to become culturally, politically, and economically more sensitive to the world. The opportunities to serve in various organizations, and as volunteer coordinator for our college has both humbled me and made me feel empowered about what I can do for others, particularly those who suffer challenges finding health care, basic essentials, and direction for their future.
A large part of my role as student director for the Volunteer Action Center is to facilitate events throughout St. Elizabeth Week. St. Elizabeth Week, special to Wartburg College, is week dedicated to spreading awareness of the local and national issues of hunger and homelessness and to encourage students to serve their community. In my first year as student director and chair of the St. Elizabeth Planning Committee, I helped coordinate the first annual "Backpack Pack" in conjunction with the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. Over 1,000 bags of food were packed for northeastern Iowa children.
My decision to pursue a mentoring position at the Bremwood Residential Treatment Center with the Lutheran Services of Iowa in the Spring of 2016 was one of the best decisions I have made thus far in college. Bremwood provides mental health services and shelter for troubled youth or those in the foster system. It was an amazing experience to make friends with people I may not have normally interacted, which allowed immense personal growth.
