Whether it’s working at a summer camp on Long Island or lying on the lawn closest to the library in front of the chapel, Junior History Major Mary Dierkes can frequently be found enjoying the open air. This Eagan, Minn. native keeps it no secret that she loves being outdoors.
Mary was born in Kansas, Mo. and moved to Minnesota with her family when she was six years old. When the time came for Mary to choose a college, her heart was already set on Gustavus. After seeing and hearing about the experience her sister (‘08) had up on the hill, she couldn’t help but want to go here as well. “Gustavus had everything I was looking for: small, Christian, private school and with residential living. I could not have asked for anything else,” Mary said.
She loves being a Gustie so much that she makes sure to try her hand at a little bit of everything going on around campus. Being a second year Peer Assistant (PA), she can be found in the PA headquarters chatting with friends, giving advice or simply “being weird.”
When she takes a break from being a PA, she can be found warming her vocal cords and hitting the notes in the Choir of Christ Chapel, and in her junior year she has taken her dedication further and is pledging Sigmas. “Go Sigmas,” Mary said.
“Mary really has a gift with people. No matter where she is or who she’s talking to, she can lighten up the mood and make everyone feel comfortable. People are drawn to her personality and warmth,” Junior Individualized Major Catherine Keith said.
As a PA, there are a lot of things that she gets to experience that are both fun and educational. One of her favorite things about being a PA is the training they go through together: “Ten days of bonding and enjoying each other’s company [means that we] emotionally and mentally become very big and close. [It is] a very powerful experience for all of us,” Mary said, “The toughest part about being a PA is that it challenges you to become an arranger and learn how to balance and schedule things.”
Her greatest inspiration is her mom. “She is the coolest lady I know, and she has guided me and calls me out often. She always knows exactly what to say and how to help you. She’s my best friend,” Mary said.
She said that she draws inspiration from many things. “There is very little that doesn’t inspire me except for, [perhaps], mean people. I try to be positive,” Mary said.
“Mary has a gift for making sure those around her feel loved. She gives the best hugs and is conscientious of the feelings of those around her,” Junior Accounting Major Anna Swenson said.
“Last year when I was stressed, she made me a ‘post it’ to put in my planner each week that said, ‘Dear Anna, Remember to Relax. Love, Mary (and your soul)’,” Swenson said.
The relationships she has with people are her motivation for what she does. “I value the opinions of friends and peers more than anyone can imagine; they mean the world to me. I’d go over mountains and down valleys for them,” Mary said.“They motivate me to keep going. I care about making sure my family is happy and emotionally alright.”
“The people here are the people I want in my life; they are nice and loving although nothing requires them to be that way,” Mary said.
The motto Mary lives by is, “Do what you got to do and be who you got to be.” If she could leave a piece of advice with the first year students, it would be to not hold anything back. Be exactly the person that you want to be and don’t be afraid to try something new.