Alumna furthers passion for global education through Fulbright program

Northwest Missouri State University alumna Emily Heisterkamp has a new perspective on teaching music after spending three weeks abroad last summer, combining a passion for education and travel that she developed during her undergraduate studies.

Heisterkamp was selected for The Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms program, which gave her the opportunity to travel to India, where she spent three weeks observing the education system and immersing herself in the culture. Additionally, before traveling, Heisterkamp, an elementary music teacher at Westside Community Schools in Omaha, Nebraska, participated in a 10-week course on global education, followed by a symposium in Washington, D.C., to collaborate with other educators and develop strategies for global learning.

“In all of our classrooms, our schools, our communities, our districts, the diversity population is increasing,” Heisterkamp said. “If we want to be more aware for those students, we have to educate ourselves.”

Northwest alumna Emily Heisterkamp (third from left) spent three weeks last summer in India as a participant in The Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms program, which gave her an opportunity to observe education practices and immerse herself in the culture. (Submitted photo)

Heisterkamp’s travel experience spanned cities in India such as New Delhi, Chennai, Bangaluru and Kolkata. In Chennai, she sat in on classes of varying subjects and grade-levels, including 11th grade psychology, 10th grade business, ninth grade English and fourth grade language.

Throughout the experience, Heisterkamp followed guiding questions about music education in India. She wanted to know how music is integrated during the school day and how students gain musical knowledge and appreciation. When co-teaching a kindergarten class, where she shared music games and activities that she teaches to students in Omaha, Heisterkamp gained a new perspective of India’s musical education culture.

“I have gained a new insight when looking into a new country or culture's music,” Heisterkamp said. “There are 28 different states in India and each of them has their own unique rhythms, instruments, melodies, dances and tonalities. My understanding is that it is so vastly diverse that grasping it will take much more than three weeks.”

Heisterkamp says students always asked questions and were curious about American culture. She recalls her students in Omaha possessing the same curiosity when meeting new people, which leads her to believe children are similar in every country.

“They were so curious,” Heisterkamp said. “I think if we can continue to foster that curiosity, then it leads to so much understanding and respect and willingness to try something different.”

Heisterkamp, an elementary music teacher in Omaha, Nebraska, observed varying classroom environments in India and led music games and activities for a kindergarten class. (Submitted photo)

After teaching various music disciplines to grades K-12 for 15 years, Heisterkamp enjoys learning about the intersection of music education and cultural diversity. She believes as school districts become more diverse, music education needs to evolve into a more inclusive subject for every student, which was a key factor in her decision to enroll in the Fulbright program.

“As music educators, we have a responsibility to find authentic musical sources for our students to represent the populations we teach, communities we live in and the country with which we reside,” Heisterkamp said. “It’s important to celebrate and honor what separates us in order to gain insight and understanding to bring us together. Music has great powers.”

Heisterkamp’s longstanding passion for travel and music also fueled her interest in the Fulbright program. As a senior at Northwest, she traveled to Europe with peers and Dr. Ernest Kramer, a professor of music who retired from the University in 2021, and that experience fueled her desire to visit more countries and learn about music education in other places of the world.

Upon finishing her second year of teaching, Heisterkamp lived in Austria for six months.

“I’ve just always loved culture and food and travel and new places,” Heisterkamp said. “I still carry my original atlas for the 50 states that my dad bought me when I got my first car.”

During her time as an undergraduate student at Northwest, Heisterkamp was involved in instrumental ensembles, including the Bearcat Marching Band, wind symphony, symphonic band and orchestra as well as Kappa Kappa Psi, an honorary band fraternity.

After completing her bachelor’s degree in secondary music education at Northwest in 2005, Heisterkamp obtained a master’s degree in music education from Florida State University. She is in her 15th year of teaching and fifth year at Westside Community Schools.

“Northwest started a lot of where I am today,” Heisterkamp said. “I wouldn’t have made some of the networks and connections that I have if I hadn’t of gone there. I’m sure I would’ve made others if I had gone to a different place, but because Northwest’s music department was smaller than some of the larger places, I think I got to do more. I got to be active and more involved.”

To learn more about Heisterkamp’s experiences observing education culture in India, visit her website at sites.google.com/view/emilygoesglobal/.