Nicholas Yaneff was not sure of his path upon arriving at Morningside College. What he did know was there was plenty the world and Morningside had to offer.

Nicholas Yaneff was not sure of his path upon arriving at Morningside College. What he did know was there was plenty the world and Morningside had to offer.

On campus, Nick studied biology and was a Resident Assistant and Writing Consultant. In addition to his membership in Honors Societies, he was president of Student Alumni Association, founded a Men’s Group, and completed ecological research. Desiring more, he studied abroad in Germany and later in Spain.

Abroad, Nick excelled in his courses and traveled to seventeen countries. He hiked a mountain in Switzerland, rode camels in Morocco, and belayed down Spanish waterfalls. Tours of cathedrals and castles and viewings of orchestras and operas also mark Nick’s experiences abroad, not to mention the lifelong friendships with international and domestic peers. “I consider myself lucky to have experienced these things,” he said. “They were made possible by Morningside and the aid I received.”

Nick has not ceased his journey to gain unique experiences though. He now works at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center where he will teach ecology, history, culture, challenge skills, and outdoor recreation classes for a year: animal signs, pioneer life, canoeing, and archery, to name a few. He also works with four snakes (including a timber rattlesnake), and is in training to handle a bird of prey, the Red-Tailed Hawk.

“I want to experience all life has to offer. My time at Morningside was a major inspiration, and I will continue to be a lifelong, experiential learner.”