Gretchen Ivers

Gretchen Ivers is a special education visual disabilities graduate student from Thompson, ND

Hometown: Thompson, ND

Year: Expected graduation: 2025

What scholarships did you receive and why did you receive them? How has the financial support impacted your experience at NIU?
I am attending NIU because of the scholarship offered by the visual disabilities master's degree program. It is incredible, and I would highly suggest this program to anyone considering a master's degree. Any undergrad degree is a good fit, and the master's allows you to work with adults, kids or in a direct-service position with technology. The scholarship covers tuition, fees and insurance, plus a monthly living stipend, which is an absolute game-changer. The funding allows me to focus on being a student, not just survival.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you pursuing that as a major, or have you taken another path?
Growing up, I wanted to be an author. While this did not end up being my degree path, I look forward to writing goals and individualized education plans for my students!

What is your major (and/or minor) and why did you decide on this course of study?
I’m pursuing an M.S.Ed. in special education: visual disabilities. I became interested in the vision field when I was an undergrad and worked at the North Dakota School for the Blind. The teachers there encouraged me to look into it.

What has been something you have found pleasantly surprising about your experience at NIU?
I have been surprised by how much I adore NIU and DeKalb. The experience here has been totally different from how my undergrad was. It was intimidating to move hours away from home to a state where I knew absolutely nobody, but it is so refreshing to have found a campus that feels like a second home to me.

How have you connected with other students to study for classes, meet new people or form new friendships?
My classes have been an amazing place to form lifelong friendships. I have also made connections through student clubs, events at the public library and even during a tornado watch alarm!

Are you involved in any student organizations, mentoring programs or extra-curricular activities? If so, which ones? How have they added to your experience as a Huskie?
I am part of the NIU Rock Climbing Club, Alpha Omega and Belegarth Medieval Combat Society. These organizations push me to be more disciplined, challenge myself and have fun doing so.

What NIU offices, departments or resources have helped you feel safe, supported and successful? And how?
The NIU Department of Police and Public Safety offers the opportunity to ride along with one of their officers, which helped me get to know campus from an inside point of view. They will also unlock your car if you lock your keys in it. I have benefited from the nutrition coaching program, as well.

Who has been one of your favorite instructors/professors and why? What course did they teach?
I cannot pick one favorite professor. My favorite online course was EPS 501: Psychological Foundations of Education, taught by Professor Hidetada Shimizu. I love all of the vision program's professors and hope to be half as good a teacher as they are.

How have you benefited by attending class regularly?
I feel motivated to attend classes because I always learn something new that will make me a better teacher. I enjoy seeing my friends too, of course!

Where is your favorite spot on campus or in the community? Why are you drawn to it?
I enjoy standing on the bridge in the middle of campus and watching the water run past. Sometimes the water is flowing under a layer of ice, swimming with tadpoles, or floating geese and goslings along its surface, and it just makes me feel grounded and at peace.

What advice would you give to a student who is researching colleges to apply to?
When considering which college to attend, I would recommend checking to see if they have free counseling services for students. Counseling in the wild, wild, west of the "real world" is crazy-expensive, and being able to work through some unexpected issues for free while in this transitional period of college has been invaluable.

Why is a college education important to you?
Earning a college education is important to me because I want to be as well-equipped as possible with strategies, skills and resources to give my future students the excellent education they deserve.

What strategies do you use to manage your time between the responsibilities of school, work, friends and family?
It may be old fashioned, but a paper planner works great for me to keep everything in one place. I also use sticky notes for important reminders such as to call my mama, bring a piece of technology to class or try out a new restaurant in town.

How do you stay informed about events and services that are available on campus?
The university sends out the Weekly Scroll email, which includes all the upcoming events for the week. Our program head is also great about forwarding particularly relevant events to us. I also use the NIU website and the bulletin boards around campus.

What do you do to relax or recharge?
The Recreation Center is my favorite place to go to relax. I enjoy deadlifting, rock climbing and sitting around in the sauna. I also enjoy recharging through meditation, napping and praying.

Please tell us about your job and hobbies.
During the school year, I work as a tutor with the Illinois Tutoring Initiative, which is housed at NIU. This works well with my class schedule, and it is rewarding to make a difference at the local elementary schools. I also work as an entertainer, doing balloon twisting and princess character entertainment. Making balloon animals has been one of my favorite hobbies for a long time. My other hobbies include cooking, reading mysteries, working out and unicycling. There is a nice skate park in town next to the dog park, so I get to watch the puppies play while I practice!