Back to College

Today’s guest has the job of creating a place for students to connect with one another while being active. It sounds so lame when it’s said like that but trust me, what this person has created is so much more than simply a place to workout. Since the recording of this episode, this person has retired from the director of Recreational Services after serving in the role at Augustana for 36 years. Co...

Today’s guest actually started college in her home Country. We hear about it was like moving away from home to attend university at Ecuador’s capital, Quito, changing from a medical student to studying economics, doing a high school exchange to the US, transferring from University in Ecuador to College in the America, challenging religious and personal beliefs, participating in debates at the mode...

Today’s guest comes is a Sioux Falls local. We hear all about what the local South Dakota culture is like, growing up a theatre kid in high school, coming to college on a bet, the pursuit of a career in publication, why living on campus is so unique, the elaborate plan to move to Austin, working as a freelance photographer doing senior pics and weddings as well as creating music videos for Sioux F...

Today’s guest comes from Sioux City Iowa. A mere 1 and a half hour drive from Augustana. We hear from this Religion and Psych major, about her tough time deciding on a college, how she discovered her majors, whether to pursue soccer or swimming at college, athletic identity and coping after retirement, discovering what to study, a vivid recall of her first college class, the unique skill no other...

In this episode we are unlocking a new continent! This will be our very first guest from Africa. I wasn’t kidding when I told you I had friends from all over the world. In this conversation we talk about why someone would leave Addis Ababa to study in the US, how to find a US college from Ethiopia, the challenges of picking a major, becoming more chill towards elders, obtaining a H-1B work visa, w...

Today’s guest is from the iconic city of Rio De Janeiro. When this episode was recorded in December 2023, this person had just graduated with their Computer Science major and Data Science minor. In this conversation we talk about the factors the swayed this person to studying abroad in America, how they came across Augustana, Adjusting to the new culture both right away but also many years later,...

Today is quite a unique episode because this person is a stranger. I only met this person the day before I started recording. I met this person on campus in the IPO. This person stuck out to me as someone who had a fascinating back story. She struggled from a very young age in China, having a lot of pressure put on her, and she was actually sent to the US for better life when she was just 12 years...

Today is actually a very big milestone. Any guesses as to what we are celebrating today? This podcast is now 1 year old! In that year we’ve had 23 guests who came from 13 different countries but we are very much just getting started. Many more episodes have already been recorded and just between you and me, I may have a plan to record a few more in the not too distant future. Stay tuned. In this e...

Today’s guest is from the small town of Brandon South Dakota. Being the eldest child, first generation American, and first in her family to attend college, this person was faced with a lot of uncertainty throughout her high school years and particularly when choosing a college. Financial constraints played a big role in determining where this person would study. She wasn’t even sure if it would be...

This episode is a special one because the reason why I went to college in America in the first place was to play basketball. Today’s guest is one of my basketball teammates. He’s from the small town of Lakefield Minnesota just 1 hour away from Sioux Falls. Today’s teammate was slower than most in picking up a basketball. He didn’t start playing until he was 12 year old. During this conversation we...

In this episode we are joined by someone who was unsure about her future after high school. Following the persuasion from her Father she finally decided to give the U.S. a try, where she took the leap of faith and never looked back. Her college experience took a hit when she got stuck back home in Singapore for her entire Sophomore year. Despite this major challenge she returned to the US for her...

Today’s guest comes from Pakistan’s industrial and economic mecca know as Karachi. His drive to help people with computer science was the thread that run throughout this persons entire college journey. Stepping out of his comfort zone to make friends, taking challenging classes that involved the human brain, and wrestling moral dilemmas in photography class, were just a few of the side quests this...

In this episode we are joined by a someone who comes from one of the most exotic countries on the planet. This person was easily one of my best friends at college. But that crazy thing is, a lot of what we discuss in this episode, was completely new to me. We go very deep. During his second last year of highschool, he had his sights set on the US. It wasn’t until the moment he met Augustana at the...

In this episode we are joined by a someone who grew up in a small town in Minnesota with 3000 people just 3 hours away from campus. She decided to make the move to the “big” city of Sioux Falls, after falling in love with the idea of Augie on her 4th college visit. She is the only person I know to have built her own major. Yes, that’s a thing. And if there was one person to do it, it would be this...

The first 4 episodes of this season have been recorded in Kansas and Minnesota but this episode is incredibly special because this will be the first of MANY episodes to come, being recored on Campus at Augustana University (USA), which is where we all went to college. Without further a due let’s kick it off! In this episode we are joined by a someone who’s competitive nature drove her dream of pla...

We are joined by someone, who’s fear of missing out and uncertainty of life without college, pulled him to Augustana. He grew up in a Minneapolis, Minnesota and graduated college in January 2017 with both a Business and Spanish major. He has since lived and worked abroad in countless South American Countries, parts of Europe and Australia. Please enjoy this conversation as we go Back to College wi...

In this episode we are joined by a someone who’s plan from a young age was to leave her country and study abroad. She’s from the chaotic city of Hanoi in Vietnam and came to the US by herself when she was just 16. She graduated in 2023 with a double major in Accounting and Finance and is currently working as an accountant in a world renowned firm. I really hope you enjoy this story of this person’...

Today we are meeting up with someone who’s combination of curiosity and sense of adventure lead him to College in the US. He was always drawing as a kid and is ultimately how he graduated with not only a computer science major, but an art degree. After coming to college from Burgen Norway, he is currently working as a Software Engineer in Minneapolis where he has mapped out a future plan to go ful...

Today we are joined by a someone who was destined to dance before she could even walk. She grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and was on the dance team while at Augie. She graduated from Augustana with a double major in Anthropology and French and is currently pursuing a career in dance with the Kansas City Chiefs, one of the biggest teams in the National Football League. I couldn’t be more exci...

Ever wondered what College in America is really like? Join me in Season 2 as we travel across the US and dive into deep conversation with my classmates from all over the world. This is my first time going back to college since graduating and the first time I got to see my friends after 3 and a half years. This was a trip of a lifetime and a huge effort to record all of these episodes. Make sure to...

Today in the classroom, we’re joined by someone who’s desire for living a life full of experience landed him in the US. He first came to South Dakota on exchange in middle school, before deciding to finish the rest of his high school years in the US. After considering options to move to a bigger city, this saw opportunity right in front of him and enrolled into Augustana University. Battling facto...

Today in the classroom, we’re continuing on with another in person guest. This person’s sense of adventure was what drove him to study abroad and land himself in the US. Starting in the Fall of 2019, this person was nothing but excited to start the next, year long chapter of his life at Augustana. If this person wasn’t busy in the Elmen taking PE classes for his Education major, he’d be staying ac...

Today in the classroom, we’re joined by our very first in person guest! This person’s dream from a young age was to play college basketball in the US. After hanging up the boots off the back of a super fun and successful debut basketball season, this person was left wanting a new challenge. Halfway through his junior year, he came to his senses and realised that the Midwest is best and transferred...

Today in the classroom, we’re are joined by someone who always had the dream of playing college sport in America. Growing up in the 4th Largest city in the world, this person came to the US with his family when he was 13. After battling an ACL tear when he was young, this person decided to step away from basketball and try a new sport. Little did he know that this would later grant him a scholarsh...

Today in the classroom, we’re are joined by someone who came from a small town in Tunisia. This person was itching for new experiences and didn’t hesitate when they got the chance to study in the US. His sense of adventure & desire to try new things lead him to discover his love for Sushi amongst the rides and rollercoasters in the Mall of America. You could always count on this person somehow...