Southwest Tech Spotlight: Mishaela Dudenbostel
Southwest Tech Spotlight: Mishaela Dudenbostel
As a young girl, Mishaela’s mom always said she had an eye for beauty. She loved weddings and dreamed of designing wedding dresses or becoming a cake decorator. She enjoyed playing outside and taking photos. She really didn’t see herself as being a career lady, instead, she wanted to be a mom and a wife.
Mishaela grew up in what would be considered a large family these days and is the third child of 8 with two brothers and five sisters.
“Being part of a big family is a lot of fun. I learned many life skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and people skills because I had to communicate with so many people every day.”
Mishaela’s mom didn’t really want to send her kids off to school every day, instead, she wanted to invest in them and be part of their daily lives. She made the decision to homeschool her children.
“With so many siblings, there was a lot of independent study. We had to be flexible and step up to get things done on our own. I really think that helped prepare me for college.”
Mishaela has always had a strong passion for helping people and used that compassion to travel the world through mission trips to Sierra Leone, Belgium, and Columbia.
“I enjoy traveling and meeting new people. I wanted to see what other countries were like. Through the mission trips, I had eye-opening experiences serving at orphanages. It really made me appreciate life.”
When the time came to plan for college, Mishaela didn’t quite know what to expect.
“I chose Southwest Tech because I knew others who had attended and had good experiences. I also thought it would be a good transition for me because of the small class sizes.”
Evan, then Mishaela’s fiancé and now Mishaela’s husband, graduated from the Welding program at Southwest Tech and currently works with his dad and brother on the family farm.
“When exploring programs, I wanted something that was well-rounded and offered a variety of courses that would provide the education I needed to work in the business industry, help Evan with the business side of the farm, and ultimately with day to day life. The Business Management program was a perfect match.”
Mishaela is also using her education with her photography business, Just Cuz Photography, which she runs with her cousin on evenings and weekends.
“I got my first camera as a present when I was seven. I loved it so much, I just couldn’t put it down.”
Southwest Tech has been a great fit for Mishaela and Mishaela has been a great fit for Southwest Tech. She is currently working as a student employee in the Marketing and Public Relations department and as a Student Ambassador.
“I feel like I have a place at Southwest Tech. My decision to get involved on campus has provided me with real-life experience and I have learned so much. In my position with the Marketing and Public Relations department, I do a lot of writing. It was so exciting to see my byline in the paper for a press release I wrote. Through the Student Ambassador program, I am able to help people make big decisions about their future. Now, that’s real life experience.”
Mishaela graduated in May of 2015. She is currently the Social Media Coordinator at Peoples State Bank. The skills and experiences she gained from Southwest Tech are providing great benefit to her both professionally and personally.