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Madalyn Vandenberg

1x

Finalist

General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • Singing
  • Reading
  • Foreign Languages

Reading

  • Adult Fiction
  • Education

I read books daily.

Education

Neenah High

High School

2021 – 2025

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Associate's degree program
Majors of interest:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other, Human Resources Management and Services
Desired degree modality:
Online
Medical school interest:
No

Career

  • Welcome Center Specialist

    Retail · Building for Kids Children's Museum

    Jan 2026 – Present

  • Barista

    Food & Beverages · Hart Family Coffee

    Jan 2023 – Jan 2023

  • Cashier

    Retail · Kroger

    Jan 2023 – Present

  • Program assistant

    Education · City Of Neenah

    Jan 2022 – Present

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Human Resources
Dream career goals:
Become executive assistant for the head of a large company
Work experience:
4 years
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
First-Gen Flourishing Scholarship
“Really? That’s what you want to do?”. I have heard those words many times in my life. It might have been something small that wouldn’t matter later in life, but the most recent time is my career choice, which will significantly impact my way of life. Throughout the years, I’ve been thinking about what I would potentially like to pursue when I'm older. My mind bounced from nurse to zoo keeper, to veterinarian, to then a chef. I had all these career choices all around me, all with differing schooling and cost. My main challenge with choosing a career was the approval of others. A day came when it was time to start thinking about my interests and what I wanted to do in life. I asked my parents to sit down with me and discuss what careers they thought would be best for me and my personality. We talked for 5 minutes, then it hit me. I want to be a preschool teacher. This career was always in my mind, just waiting to pop back up. When this hit me, I told my parents, giddy with excitement. I had realized what I wanted to do in life. With my passion for helping others, wanting to make a difference, and working with children in one career, this is an excellent option. “Really? That's what you want to do in life?”. Those words once again haunted me. My excitement was suddenly gone; regretting this decision, I accepted defeat and simply said, “Maybe not.” The conversion grew on with mentions of becoming a nurse, a lawyer, and many other jobs that never spoke to me as teaching does. A couple of years later, this conversation came up again. This time, I was sure about my passion. We sat down once again to begin the conversation about my future. I told my parents I was sure about my choice and would start looking at universities offering an elementary education major. “Really? Are you sure?”. Any kind of question or concern they threw at me, I had an answer. “Is there a particular reason why you want to go into this field?”. Yes, when I was younger, I loved helping the others in my class; as I got older, I loved working with children younger than me. It allowed me to feel I was helping someone. This career will give me a chance to help a child who may have a troubled home life; it would allow me to provide those children with a sense of security and know that they do have a safe place where they can count on having 1 to 2 emotionally present adults in the room, giving those children something I rarely had as a child.
Marie Humphries Memorial Scholarship
“Really? That’s what you want to do?”. I have heard those words many times in my life. It might have been something small that wouldn’t matter later in life, but the most recent time is my career choice, which will significantly impact my way of life. Throughout the years, I’ve been thinking about what I would potentially like to pursue when I'm older. My mind bounced from nurse to zoo keeper, to veterinarian, to then a chef. I had all these career choices all around me, all with differing schooling and cost. My main challenge with choosing a career was the approval of others. A day came when it was time to start thinking about my interests and what I wanted to do in life. I asked my parents to sit down with me and discuss what careers they thought would be best for me and my personality. We talked for 5 minutes, then it hit me. I want to be a preschool teacher. This career was always in my mind, just waiting to pop back up. When this hit me, I told my parents, giddy with excitement. I had realized what I wanted to do in life. With my passion for helping others, wanting to make a difference, and working with children in one career, this is an excellent option. “Really? That's what you want to do in life?”. Those words once again haunted me. My excitement was suddenly gone; regretting this decision, I accepted defeat and simply said, “Maybe not.” The conversion grew on with mentions of becoming a nurse, a lawyer, and many other jobs that never spoke to me as teaching does. A couple of years later, this conversation came up again. This time, I was sure about my passion. We sat down once again to begin the conversation about my future. I told my parents I was sure about my choice and would start looking at universities offering an elementary education major. “Really? Are you sure?”. Any kind of question or concern they threw at me, I had an answer. “Is there a particular reason why you want to go into this field?”. Yes, when I was younger, I loved helping the others in my class; as I got older, I loved working with children younger than me. It allowed me to feel I was helping someone. This career will give me a chance to help a child who may have a troubled home life; it would allow me to provide those children with a sense of security and know that they do have a safe place where they can count on having 1 to 2 emotionally present adults in the room, giving those children something I rarely had as a child.
Teaching Like Teri Scholarship
“Really? That’s what you want to do?”. I have heard those words many times in my life. It might have been something small that wouldn’t matter later in life, but the most recent time is my career choice, which will significantly impact my way of life. Throughout the years, I’ve been thinking about what I would potentially like to pursue when I'm older. My mind bounced from nurse to zoo keeper, to veterinarian, to then a chef. I had all these career choices all around me, all with differing schooling and cost. My main challenge with choosing a career was the approval of others. A day came when it was time to start thinking about my interests and what I wanted to do in life. I asked my parents to sit down with me and discuss what careers they thought would be best for me and my personality. We talked for 5 minutes, then it hit me. I want to be a preschool teacher. This career was always in my mind, just waiting to pop back up. When this hit me, I told my parents, giddy with excitement. I had realized what I wanted to do in life. With my passion for helping others, wanting to make a difference, and working with children in one career, this is an excellent option. “Really? That's what you want to do in life?”. Those words once again haunted me. My excitement was suddenly gone; regretting this decision, I accepted defeat and simply said, “Maybe not.” The conversion grew on with mentions of becoming a nurse, a lawyer, and many other jobs that never spoke to me as teaching does. A couple of years later, this conversation came up again. This time, I was sure about my passion. We sat down once again to begin the conversation about my future. I told my parents I was sure about my choice and would start looking at universities offering an elementary education major. “Really? Are you sure?". Any kind of question or concern they threw at me, I had an answer. “Is there a particular reason why you want to go into this field?”. Yes, when I was younger, I loved helping the others in my class; as I got older, I loved working with children younger than me. It allowed me to feel I was helping someone. This career will give me a chance to help a child who may have a troubled home life; it would allow me to provide those children with a sense of security and know that they do have a safe place where they can count on having 1 to 2 emotionally present adults in the room, giving those children something I rarely had as a child.
Lidia M. Wallace Memorial Scholarship
“Really? That’s what you want to do?”. I have heard those words many times in my life. It might have been something small that wouldn’t matter later in life, but the most recent time is my career choice, which will significantly impact my way of life. Throughout the years, I’ve been thinking about what I would potentially like to pursue when I'm older. My mind bounced from nurse to zoo keeper, to veterinarian, to then a chef. I had all these career choices all around me, all with differing schooling and cost. My main challenge with choosing a career was the approval of others. A day came when it was time to start thinking about my interests and what I wanted to do in life. I asked my parents to sit down with me and discuss what careers they thought would be best for me and my personality. We talked for 5 minutes, then it hit me. I want to be a preschool teacher. This career was always in my mind, just waiting to pop back up. When this hit me, I told my parents, giddy with excitement. I had realized what I wanted to do in life. With my passion for helping others, wanting to make a difference, and working with children in one career, this is an excellent option. “Really? That's what you want to do in life?”. Those words once again haunted me. My excitement was suddenly gone; regretting this decision, I accepted defeat and simply said, “Maybe not.” The conversion grew on with mentions of becoming a nurse, a lawyer, and many other jobs that never spoke to me as teaching does. A couple of years later, this conversation came up again. This time, I was sure about my passion. We sat down once again to begin the conversation about my future. I told my parents I was sure about my choice and would start looking at universities offering an elementary education major. “Really? Are you sure?”. Any kind of question or concern they threw at me, I had an answer. “Is there a particular reason why you want to go into this field?”. Yes, when I was younger, I loved helping the others in my class; as I got older, I loved working with children younger than me. It allowed me to feel I was helping someone. This career will give me a chance to help a child who may have a troubled home life; it would allow me to provide those children with a sense of security and know that they do have a safe place where they can count on having 1 to 2 emotionally present adults in the room, giving those children something I rarely had as a child.
Jeanne Kramme Fouke Scholarship for Future Teachers
“Really? That’s what you want to do?”. I have heard those words many times in my life. It might have been something small that wouldn’t matter later in life, but the most recent time is my career choice, which will significantly impact my way of life. Throughout the years, I’ve been thinking about what I would potentially like to pursue when I'm older. My mind bounced from nurse to zoo keeper, to veterinarian, to then a chef. I had all these career choices all around me, all with differing schooling and cost. My main challenge with choosing a career was the approval of others. A day came when it was time to start thinking about my interests and what I wanted to do in life. I asked my parents to sit down with me and discuss what careers they thought would be best for me and my personality. We talked for 5 minutes, then it hit me. I want to be a preschool teacher. This career was always in my mind, just waiting to pop back up. When this hit me, I told my parents, giddy with excitement. I had realized what I wanted to do in life. With my passion for helping others, wanting to make a difference, and working with children in one career, this is an excellent option. “Really? That's what you want to do in life?”. Those words once again haunted me. My excitement was suddenly gone; regretting this decision, I accepted defeat and simply said, “Maybe not.” The conversion grew on with mentions of becoming a nurse, a lawyer, and many other jobs that never spoke to me as teaching does. A couple of years later, this conversation came up again. This time, I was sure about my passion. We sat down once again to begin the conversation about my future. I told my parents I was sure about my choice and would start looking at universities offering an elementary education major. “Really? Are you sure?”. Any kind of question or concern they threw at me, I had an answer. “Is there a particular reason why you want to go into this field?”. Yes, when I was younger, I loved helping the others in my class; as I got older, I loved working with children younger than me. It allowed me to feel I was helping someone. This career will give me a chance to help a child who may have a troubled home life; it would allow me to provide those children with a sense of security and know that they do have a safe place where they can count on having 1 to 2 emotionally present adults in the room, giving those children something I rarely had as a child.
Madalyn Vandenberg Student Profile | Bold.org