Nathan MastbergenEnglish teaching major
Sioux City, Iowa

Teacher training
A future high school English teacher, Nathan has been active in sports and campus ministry. He’s a defender and captain on the Raider men’s soccer team, a tutor, and a student coordinator for the college’s Spring Service Project (SSP) short-term mission trips. He also served as a discipleship group leader and the student leader for SSP teams to Jonesboro, Arkansas, and Jackson, Mississippi.

Write major

Coming into college, I didn’t know what my major would be, but I did know what my passions and strengths were. I knew I had a passion for people—especially young people—as well as a passion for learning. I’m also good at capturing the attention of a crowd, and I’m comfortable speaking in front of others. Teaching was a good way to combine those passions and strengths. I decided to teach English because I saw the value of learning through discussions about literature and the power of self-exploration when a student’s pen meets paper.

Novel worldview

Every novel, poem and story presents a certain perspective of the world. My professors at Northwestern have introduced me to literature that has shown me a world that’s bigger than my own. By looking through the lens of literature, I’ve learned to view my world in a new way and gained a greater understanding of other people and places. That understanding has increased my ability to love others because—as I’ve learned from my professors—we can’t love those we don’t understand.

Storied mentors

My education and English classes—along with the hours I’ve spent in high school and middle school classrooms—have taught me a lot about being an English teacher. I’ve also learned about teaching English by watching the way English is taught to me. Each of my English professors cares deeply about what they teach and who they teach. Although they have different teaching methods, each models something I can use in my future career.

Kingdom building

I love Northwestern’s focus on students. This college is intentional about helping students connect to their world and molding us into people prepared to serve God and his kingdom.

Becoming a leader

In all the areas I’ve grown during my time at Northwestern, I’ve grown the most as a leader. I’ve learned to lead though opportunities like captaining the soccer team, guiding a discipleship group, and heading up a Spring Service Project trip. And I’ve learned from those I’ve followed, those I’ve led with, and those I’ve led.