As we reach the end of the 2023-24 school year, seniors count down the days until they walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. Some have followed the path laid out for them, but for others, that path led them in another direction.
Senior Lily Maier is graduating as an education major, as she originally wanted to specialize in special education, but that is not the path she is going down. After taking a few classes and working with the program, she realized that maybe education was not for her.
Maier is from Milwaukee, Wis. She was born to Louis “Louie” IV and Trenny Maier and has two younger siblings, Louis “Louie” V and Lucy. Maier attended Dominican High School, and it was through one of her religion teachers, Kevin Schramka, an SNC alumnus, that she found out about St. Norbert College. She said, “I would walk in [to class] every day, and he would say, ‘You need to check out this college…I feel like you belong there.’” And so she did. As soon as Maier stepped foot on campus, not yet having a tour, she thought, “This is where I am meant to be.”
Since coming to SNC, Maier has been very active during her college career. She has been an RA for VMC and Gries for the past two years, held multiple committee positions for Theta Phi Alpha, been the communications coordinator for Best Buddies and a member of Pen Pals. She originally worked at Phil’s during her freshman year, but at the start of her sophomore year, she applied to work at the Office of Communications, where she spent two years as a Media Relations Student Associate, and this year, she became a Communication Student Specialist.
“I wanted to have a backup plan [anyways], and my backup plan was communications. I got my job by chance. Dr. Toth recommended that I edit the SNC News, and I ended up getting my [current] positions simply because I asked what writing style was used.” And it seemed like this chance gave her the opportunity to find her true passion.
The plans for Maier after college are still up in the air. She is applying for many jobs in Milwaukee and hopes to eventually get her master's in communications after working for some time. Until then, she will enjoy her last week as an SNC student by hanging out with her friends, playing ukulele and guitar, playing video games on her Nintendo Switch and honing her writing skills.
Photo: Mckenzie Bray