A new addition to the blog is a monthly interview series highlighting Bear POWER team members.

The first spotlight goes out to Angie Sachse. Angie has been an integral member of the Bear POWER team for marketing, fundraising, developing social media content and interviewing applicants. She always brings a smile, coffee and humor to our meetings, and we can’t wait for the Bear POWER community to get to know her!

Meet Angie Sachse

• Name: Angie Sachse
• Hometown: Kansas City, MO
• Family: my husband, Eric– the best partner in adulting and child rearing x 3
• Biggest Accomplishment: my 15-year marriage and raising kind, thoughtful, confident children who have a passion for exploring and learning new things.
• Hobbies: When I get a few stolen moments, I enjoy… interior decorating, canning salsa from my garden harvest and hosting impromptu dinner parties.
• I Never Leave Home Without… a sweater, my coffee, sunglasses and my phone
• Currently Reading: The Angels of Morgan Hill by Donna VanLiere
• Favorite Quote: there are so many!
  “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou

What do you do at Missouri State, and how did you get involved with Bear POWER?

-I started at MSU as the assistant to the Deputy Provost, Chris Craig, at precisely the moment of Bear POWER’s creation. I brought with me a decade of marketing experience and mainly helped in the aspect of creating the initial informational and fundraising pieces that enabled us connect with the community and get the word out about this amazing initiative.

Why do you think Bear POWER is important?

-Bear POWER will provide students with the ability to grow in their education and life skills while preparing them for job they will love. This is an avenue that is typically not available to students with disabilities, and their potential for success and growth should not stop just because they graduate high school. The Bear POWER program will provide another very important layer to the success of these young adults.

What makes you the most excited about seeing the program come together?

-Seeing the excitement and gratitude from the applicants and their families has been overwhelming. I’m excited to see the Bear POWER students on campus!

What inspired you to become involved with Bear POWER?

-I have a love for education and enjoy using my strengths and knowledge to help people be successful. Starting the Bear POWER program at MSU is so exciting and will be life-changing for so many. I’m honored to be a part of it.

How has inclusion impacted your personal life, or career?

-My first profound experience with inclusive learning environments was when my daughters were asked to be role-model students for an integrated preschool class. In a class size of 10, there were 2-3 typical students and 7-8 students with varying degrees of learning and/or intellectual disabilities. I wasn’t quite sure what this was or how it worked. It was an amazing experience to provide to them at such a young age. It really opened my eyes to the benefits that this inclusive environment provided to ALL the students. I believe that this experience really helped to shape them into the kind, patient, helpful and inclusive individuals they have become—not only in the classroom, but in our daily lives when we recognize that we must advocate for others that need extra love and support.