Madison Bloker
Wartburg College
Madison Bloker, a third year student at Wartburg College has been seeking out leadership and service opportunities since elementary school. As a grade school student, she started the BLT's (Best Little Thinkers), where fellow students brainstormed ways to raise funds to put a swimming pool in their hometown. This was the start of her servant-leadership journey.
Since then, Madison went on to work in High School with Feed My starving Children, serve as student body president, national honor society president and valedictorian of her class. At Wartburg, Madison has found leadership roles in the following - dance marathon, the volunteer action center, serving as a school ambassador and as student director of the college service trips program.
As a Baldwin Fellow on Wartburg Campus, Madison created and published a book to raise money for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. The book has now turned into an inspirational newsletter and blog.
Personal Statement
Throughout my time at Wartburg, I've grown so, so much. I have learned about my passions, goals, strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities. I've expanded my horizons - I flew on an air plane for the first time, visited the ocean, saw a Broadway show in New York, visited the Air Force Academy in Colorado, served in Georgia and North Carolina, and wrote my first book. I'll also be traveling outside of the country for the first time this year to New Zealand. It has been a journey of discovery and growth, and I'm so thankful Wartburg has helped me find my path.
Wartburg College Service Trips have been very powerful and influential during my time here, and I have learned so much from being the student director. I've learned a lot about communication, organization, timeliness, and positive energy. I've been in charge of organizing fall break, winter break, and tour week trips and have led my executive team in managing trips serving all over the country, whether they be in Wyoming, the Grand Canyon, Texas, Florida, New Orleans, you name it. I'm also leading a trip to California where our group will serve and lead at an outdoor science camp. I've learned so much about team work and leadership, and it's amazing to see what all goes on behind the scenes. Having my service trip experiences in Georgia my freshman year and North Carolina my sophomore year really inspired me to take on the leadership role. Being a servant leader is a passion of mine.
Looking back, Wartburg has impacted my life in so many ways. I've grown as a civic leader, as a student, and as a person. I've been able to fully live out my passions and navigate my way through my vocational calling.
