“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Countless students have seen and been inspired by Ghandi’s famous quote that has always been written on Scripture teacher Nicole Geis’s whiteboard. She, too, has taken these words to heart. With this year being her last as a teacher here, she plans to inspire even more people in the near future outside of Cathedral.
“I don’t really know for sure where I’m going,” she said, “but I know what I want to do. It’ll be a pretty interesting ride. I have nothing waiting for me out there as of yet, so who knows where the path will take me”
Though exactly what the future holds for Ms. Geis still ultimately remains unclear, she knows exactly what she is striving for: to be a television show host.
“This has always been my dream,” she said. “I am determined to work hard for it, to inspire people and do what I believe I was put here to do. Too many people see the negative aspects of life on television. We need to see the positive, and there are so many awesome people to represent that.”
Her adventure to inspire thousands, even millions more in her lifetime begins later this year. She plans to get started in either television or radio – anything to get her foot in the door of the entertainment industry and start her new career.
“I tell all my students to follow their dreams. I have to be the example of that. I can’t be here not doing what I feel called to do,” she said.
After five years as a religion teacher, the “best subject to teach” according to Ms. Geis, she has proved to leave behind an enduring legacy here at Cathedral that will be carried on by both students and faculty. The students, especially, will miss her the most.
“Everyone will talk about how much it sucks that incoming freshman can’t have her as a teacher next year,” said sophomore Louise Garrett. “They will never get a chance to know her and be inspired by what an amazing person she is. I’ll miss her class because it was such an amazing way to start off the morning every day, especially with the inspirational drop-a-lines, and it always left me in an amazing mood.”
Junior Nicole Nyffenegger agrees, and hopes for the best of luck. “I can’t wait to see her on a Wheatie’s cereal box in ten years,” she said.
Even though Ms. Geis is leaving now, she knows she can never really truly leave Cathedral.
“Of course I’ll come back,” she said. “I feel most at home here and have so many great memories. I’ve been inspired by the people and students here and they have really impacted my life. I feel I’ve become a stronger person in my faith and gotten to know myself better here. The biggest thing I’ll miss is the opportunity to inspire students on a day-to-day basis. There is absolutely no other job like that.”
The legacy that she has left at Cathedral is the representation of what she aspires toq23 in the future, if on a larger scale. No matter where she will end up in her journey to be the change, the outcome will most likely be the same. She said, “I always say you should live life how you want people to remember you. I want people to see me as a person they can trust, a person who cares and loves all people no matter what. I have a passion for change in the world for the better. Ultimately, I want people to remember me and say, ‘She was a blessing to this world.’”