International student made the most of his time at CWU-Lynnwood

When Clemens Miersch first came to Washington state as an exchange student in 2016, he had no way of knowing what a life-changing decision it would become.

The 2023 Central Washington University graduate spent a year in Snohomish, learning English and U.S. culture, and then went back home to Germany to finish high school. But it wasn't long before he packed his bags for a return trip to Washington, where he spent the next four years earning his college degree.

"My girlfriend talked me into going to college in the U.S., so I started looking at my options and decided the community college route would save me some money," said Miersch, who spent two years at Everett Community College, taking general education classes while deciding where to complete his bachelor's degree.

CWU-Lynnwood was affordable and close to his home in Snohomish, so he transferred in the spring of 2022 to pursue a degree in interdisciplinary studies, focusing on social sciences and psychology.

Miersch credits the diverse curriculum options at CWU-Lynnwood for helping him become a better teacher-a career path he is currently pursuing in Germany, and perhaps one day in the U.S.

"I got to take a number of courses that really broadened my horizons," he said, adding that once he has a couple years of teaching experience in Germany, he can earn a teaching certification in Washington. "Those classes helped me realize that I wanted to become a teacher, and I'm thinking this is what I want to do for my career."

Miersch caught the teaching bug during his senior year at CWU-Lynnwood, volunteering at Snohomish High School for four hours every Friday morning. He served as a teacher's assistant and guest speaker, helping out mostly in math and German classes.

One of the highlights for him was the opportunity to mentor five seniors last spring.

"I tried to get them out of their comfort zone by speaking German with them as much as possible," said Miersch, who also earned a minor in his native language at CWU. "It was fun just working with the students and answering their questions. I really enjoyed that."

Miersch can't say enough about the help he received from the CWU-Lynnwood staff and faculty, even before he enrolled there. He particularly appreciated the support of Regional Director Mark Di Virgilio and Student Services Specialist Jessica Pribula, who hired him as a student ambassador last fall.

He was equally grateful for the support he received from his advisors, Kevin Feeney and Nicole Dunn, along with his German instructor, Laurie Moshier.

"If you ask for help, people will help you," Miersch said. "When times are tough, other people will always help you figure things out. And that's exactly what happened at CWU. Everyone there did whatever they could to get me set up."

Finding himself at CWU

Miersch has begun to hit his stride as a young professional in the city of Cottbus, located about a half-hour from his hometown of Guben. But just three years ago, his future-while living thousands of miles from home-felt much less certain.

In early 2020, he lost his job at Everett Community College due to pandemic budget cuts, and he wondered if he should stick it out in the U.S. or return home to Germany.

"As an international student, I could only work on campus," Miersch said. "And when COVID hit, all of the campus jobs went away."

He managed to scrape by until the fall of 2021, when he landed a job with the sustainability office at the community college. That carried him through until he transferred to CWU-Lynnwood in March 2022.

Shortly after he arrived on campus, he was hired as a student ambassador, using his personal relations skills to help recruit prospective students to the center. Along the way, he returned to Everett Community College and high schools in the area to do outreach for CWU-Lynnwood.

"I just like helping people, and that job gave me a chance to use those skills out in the community," said Miersch, who also served as an activities coordinator for the CATS Team (Courtesy Assistance Team) last year.

"As a student ambassador, I went around to different schools and talked to people about what CWU had to offer. That job gave me the chance to get to know what other people were interested in and show them why CWU might be a good option for them."

Di Virgilio said Miersch's genuine, outgoing disposition left a lasting impression on his colleagues and professors at the center, even though he was only with them for a short time.

"Clemens is always ready to lend a helping hand to his fellow students," Di Virgilio said. "He embodies the spirit of the typical CWU center student. He is committed, and he takes initiative and ownership of his studies and responsibilities. He is also resilient, versatile, and helpful."

All in all, coming to CWU ended up being exactly what Miersch needed to find himself-and, ultimately, his vocation. Now, he's on the fast track to a successful career in education.

"Transferring to Central ended up being one of the best decisions I've ever made," he said. "My experiences there helped me become the person and student I am today."