Jasper Egge ’20
Individualized curriculum helps shape future.
Grinnell’s open curriculum allowed Jasper Egge ’20 to determine his future career
When Jasper Egge ’20 came to Grinnell, he knew college was going to be an amazing experience, but he had no idea what a profound effect it would have in shaping his future.
When he first came to Grinnell his plan was to pursue a career that somehow involved developing artificial intelligence, so he thought he would double major in computer science and psychology. Knowing a double major would require a hefty course load, he tried to take a variety of other classes as early as possible just to be sure he wasn't missing out on anything.
One of those classes was Introduction to Education. It lit a fire in him. He has since taken nine more education courses and changed his plans to focus his career on education. Along the way, he wasn't quite sure if he wanted to be a teacher, make policy, teach education theory, or do something else in education. He thought the best way to decide was to put himself into a high school for a few days, and see what interested him. He was able to do this with an externship in the Iowa City School District during his second year. His host told him to observe as many of his classes as he wanted, and arranged for him to observe other classes and talk to other teachers.
Through this experience, and his work as a tutor in the Grinnell math lab, he realized he would ultimately like to become a professor of education. So now he is a math major, applying to education graduate school programs with a focus in math, where he hopes to acquire a Ph.D. in education and eventually teach at a liberal arts college or serve as an adviser for mathematics education websites.
Jasper Egge ’20 shares his group research at a joint math meeting in Denver.
Without Grinnell’s open curriculum Jasper might never have taken an education course. He also might never have gotten to learn about religion in East Asia, or learn how to read poetry more critically, or taken a course on number theory ... the list goes on. Thanks to Grinnell's commitment to helping students be curious, he has been able to take courses he is interested in and has engaged in all sorts of different learning experiences. In short, Grinnell gave him the opportunity to explore all his interests, discover new ones, and identify his future career path. Grinnell changed his life.
Gifts from donors help ensure these opportunities continue for other Grinnellians today and for generations yet to come.
—by Tim Schmitt