Willowbrook alumna’s passion for learning leads to success in college and beyond

For as long as she can remember, Willowbrook alumna Rachel Wiedman (class of 2017, pictured above) has had a passion for learning.

While most students are happy to complete one major during four years of college, Wiedman’s desire to gain knowledge motivated her to go further. This May, she will graduate summa cum laude from St. Ambrose University with not one, not two, but three degrees – in history, philosophy and psychology. Her next step is to earn her doctorate in history. She plans to attend The University of Tennessee, Knoxville to study Jacksonian Democracy political and intellectual history. Wiedman’s end goal is to become a college professor of history, which would allow her to contribute to the profession through conducting research and publishing papers.

“I discovered my love for history during my freshman year of college,” Wiedman said. “I was taking an interdisciplinary course on history and philosophy, and the professor commented it would most likely be the final history class for those of us who weren’t majoring in that subject area. I realized I didn’t want it to be my last class, because you learn so much about yourself and the world around you when you study history. Learning about the past helps you see the path of how we got to where we are today and helps guide the future.”

Along with pursuing an ambitious academic track at St. Ambrose University, Wiedman also has been involved with Marching Band (where she is the brass section leader), Symphonic Band and Jazz Band; wrote for the student newspaper; and serves as President of Model UN and as a Peer Campus Minister. She said her path to success has been possible because of the support she received from her family and teachers, including her years at Willowbrook.

“All of the staff members at Willowbrook were fantastic,” Wiedman said. “They truly cared about and encouraged their students. I’m incredibly grateful for the variety of Advanced Placement (AP)/college-level courses Willowbrook offers, as those opportunities allowed me to learn new things and explore my interests and provided me with a strong foundation that prepared me for college.”

While attending Willowbrook, Wiedman played trumpet in the school’s Band, Jazz Band and Marching Band. She also participated in Scholastic Bowl and Skyline (Willowbrook’s student newspaper) and was a member of multiple honor societies.

Wiedman said her accomplishments are the result of determination, effort and time, and she encourages all students to push themselves and to dream big.

“It can be easy to let the fear of short-term failure stop you from achieving your goals,” Wiedman said. “But I encourage students to think long term and focus on the future benefits. Don’t be afraid to step outside the box and try something new. You never know what you’ll learn from it, and it will help prepare you for what’s next.”