Alumni Spotlight – Emily Herbster
Emily (Kindstedt) Herbster graduated from Maranatha Baptist University (MBU) in 2021 with a music degree with concentrations in Piano Pedagogy and Early Childhood Music and a TESOL minor. She enjoyed participating in Maranatha’s Symphonic Band, the Chamber Singers, and the Heritage Singers (a summer music ministry team). Emily uses these skills as she serves on the Southland Ministry team, a music ministry team started by her husband, Micah Herbster. The team travels during the school year and works at Southland Christian Camp during the summer. While they travel, Emily ministers with special music, teaches children’s programs, and assists with whatever the church needs. At camp, she serves as an administrative assistant.
When asked how Maranatha prepared her for ministry today, she said that traveling for Maranatha and working for the pedagogy program were the most valuable experiences she had. Through MBU tours, she learned how to work with people and clients, and “to build relationships for ministry.” Emily teaches virtual music lessons for missionary children around the world and currently has several students for piano and flute. Teaching for Maranatha Music Prep School prepared her for the teaching she does now. COVID restrictions in 2020 affected Emily’s time at MBU, enabling her to learn how to effectively teach music remotely. This experience gave her the skillset needed to teach lessons virtually post-graduation.
Emily is thankful that the pedagogy program at MBU taught her “how to teach, not just what to teach.” Janet Tschida was the teacher at MBU who had the most impact on her. She “embodied what I wanted to be in the private lesson structure.” Emily enjoyed learning not just how Ms. Tschida taught her, but how she taught her private lesson students as well. “I still pull her notes out and look at them.”
Emily’s advice for current music majors is to “take advantage of all the opportunities to do music… especially collaboratively.” College provides opportunities for performance and collaboration that students might not have after school. Students should take advantage of as many opportunities as possible. In Emily’s words, “Without Maranatha I would definitely be in a different place… who I am today is because of who I became.”
Emily lives in Ringgold, LA, with her husband, Micah Herbster. A few of her favorite things include drinking coffee and tea, making and teaching music, traveling, exploring new places, being with people she loves, and making sourdough bread. To learn more about the Southland Ministry Team, click here.