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1998 Alumna Teacher Praises 2008 CC Graduate

Among the Christ College graduating class of 2008, none has come farther, literally, than Nikolina Kiselinova, who emigrated from war-torn Macedonia to the United States at age 15. But Nina, as she is called, was launched into academic success in Christ College with the help of CC alumna Samantha (Bradtmiller ’98) Lucas who was Kiselinova’s Spanish teacher at River Forest High School in Hobart, Ind.

Kiselinova, whose first language is Macedonian, entered Lucas’ Spanish II class with no prior Spanish, and quickly learned the language under Lucas’ tute­lage. “She is a teacher’s dream!” Lucas said. The two became close, and Lucas was thrilled when Kiselinova decided to choose Valpo and Christ College.

At Valpo, Kiselinova pursued her dream to become a doctor and help people in need. Her Christ College honors thesis, titled “Albert Schweitzer: Still a Valid Model for Medical Missions,” reflected her own commitment to combining healing ministry with the Christian faith rooted in her own Macedonian Ortho­dox tradition. Kiselinova will start medical school at Indiana University in the fall.

Now teaching Spanish in Naples, Fla., Lucas is not surprised at her protégé’s accomplishment. “She is a tough and super-smart girl,” Lucas says. And a decade after her own graduation, she is proud that she helped launch new CC alumna Kiselinova on her path to success.