From the moment Taryn Dornseif set foot on the Winona Campus her freshman year, she felt welcomed by the Saint Mary’s community. Over the years, that feeling has been present in each group she has been involved in — and there have been many. She plays on the women’s hockey team, volunteers with Minnesota Special Hockey, and is a counselor for Cardinal Hockey Development Camp, a summer camp at Saint Mary’s where kids in the Winona community can improve their hockey skills under the guidance of student-athletes. She also serves as the vice president of communications on the Student Senate and is the chair of ambassadors for the Office of Admission.
“Whether it was in the psychology department, the women’s hockey team, Student Senate, or in Admissions, you are seen as an individual — not just another student,” she said.
She has felt especially seen by her professors. Dornseif majors in psychology and minors in business and health humanities. She attributes her academic success to her professors’ willingness to work with her schedule. They are able to meet her at all hours of the day and are receptive to her and other students’ feedback. Their support motivates her to keep improving, and she has been involved in group and independent research outside of her normal classwork. This April, she will be presenting her independent research at the Midwestern Psychological Association conference in Chicago.
Dornseif feels confident about her future thanks to what she has learned at Saint Mary’s, both as a student and an athlete. After graduating in May, she will begin graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse to earn an education specialist degree and a master’s degree in school psychology, with the plan to pursue a career as a school psychologist. Being a part of the women’s hockey team has taught her to handle challenges and build strong relationships with those around her.
“I am proud to have represented the women’s hockey team, and in return, I have found some of my lifelong friends. As a group, we have endured a lot of change and uncertainty, but we navigated it together with support from people like Jill Column and Scott Walker, which has made our team stronger,” she said. “From my experiences, I have learned how to be resilient and advocate for myself and others.”
She advises those just starting their journey at Saint Mary’s to step outside their comfort zone. Without having done so, she would not have developed the skills and relationships she has today.
“If there is an opportunity that strikes your interest, don’t let it pass you by.”
