Rena Ketelsen

Earlier in class this week I interviewed a women named Rena Ketelsen, and I was shocked by the first few sentences she told me. Rena was born in Birmingham, UK, but she grew up in Germany, AND she is half Russian! what an opening statement for the listeners am I right? Her mother is full Russian and that is where her half comes into play! She speaks great English and had to learn English when she was in middle school over in Germany!

The class of 2022 sophomore came to Morningside to play soccer, and boy has her journey been tough these past few months with everything and anything involving COVID-19. From quarantine to new visas, Rena has almost been through it all on her way back to Morningside College for the start of the fall semester. But, with determination and a few weeks of staying inside, she is out and ready to begin!

She is majoring in computer science and mass communication and lives in the newest dorms of campus, Dimmit Hall. She loves to play soccer but outside of soccer she enjoys Netflix and also playing the flute! she plays the flute and has self-taught herself how to play the saxophone! Amazing!

Accompanied by 3 younger siblings and a cat, Rena says that is the thing she misses most about home. She finds that she misses the smaller details about her hometown and her family. The thing she misses the most is the food! she says her mom doesn’t cook classic German food that often, but a more modern take on americanized classics! Germany is a long ways a way and I couldn’t imagine not seeing my family for so long!

Rena doesn’t know where she’s going to end up in a few years but one thing she does know is that she loves the midwest and the kind people that surround the area. She says “Every one is just so nice compared to people in Germany. Germans can be a little *mean* sometimes.” She likes being in Sioux City but wishes some stores were closer to campus. Good luck this soccer season Rena!