When she graduated from high school two years ago, Bethany Pearson knew she wanted to go to college.

There was a problem, though. She didn't know what she wanted to study. "I had a few ideas, but I didn't want to spend tons and tons of money on a private college or anything if I wasn't sure of what I wanted to do," she says.

So, the native Austinite, who attended a private high school in Owatonna, decided to go to Riverland "to feel out what I wanted to do," Pearson says. She figured it out, and after graduating Wednesday with her associates of arts degree, she plans to head to Bemidji State University in the fall to study chemistry.

For Pearson, though, going to school at Riverland wasn't just about saving money and figuring out what she wanted to do in life. It was about growing up and maturing and getting a better sense of what she enjoys and what she does well.

"Riverland was what I was looking for when I graduated from high school. I graduated from a class of 10 people, so I was used to being in small classes and being friends with the teachers and I wanted that in college, too," Pearson says. "I was looking for a way to transition to a bigger university instead of just taking the big plunge right away. It's prepared me while I'm in my comfort zone. It's helped me get into college life so I'm not jumping in feet first. Because it's so small, the teachers have the time to help you make decisions and guide you."

The guidance she found at Riverland helped her get involved in many organizations and activities at the college. "My first semester at Riverland, I didn't really do anything on campus, but then I became a student ambassador, which is someone who helps get the campus involved in activities like the Spring Fling," she says.

That first step led her to become a tutor for chemistry, math and psychology, and led her to become a student orientation leader who helped new students get acquainted with the college, and led her to work in the admissions office.

Dani Heiny, of the Riverland Admissions Department, says she's been thrilled to have Pearson work in the admissions office. "She's been a real leader as far as helping with student orientation and connecting students with people to make the transition to college. She's been a real delight, very upbeat and very positive," Heiny says.

Heiny has watched her develop during the year Pearson has worked at the admissions office and says "she's become more confident and it seems she's developed a real network of friends. She's blossomed in the past year. I think it's been a good experience for her. She's become kind of a role model for other students at the college."

She also is confident Pearson will succeed at Bemidji. "She's extremely bright and dedicated. She has a lot of maturity and she has her priorities straight. I'm sure she'll make a lot of friends because people are drawn to her," she says.

Though Heiny has complete confidence in her, Pearson says she is a little nervous about going to a larger university. However, she says she isn't as nervous "as I would have been if I had just gone straight to Bemidji."

Pearson says the biggest adjustment for her probably won't be the larger classes or the distance from home, but dorm life. "It will be a big change, it will be a lot bigger responsibility because I'll be living on my own, but if I had gone in as a freshman, I would have had to adjust to dorm life and the class load. I think that going to Riverland has cut the stress in about half," she says. "I don't think I was ready to go out on my own when I first graduated from high school, but two more years has definitely made me ready."

Amanda L. Rohde can be reached at 434-2214 or by e-mail at :mailto:amanda.rohde@austindailyherald.com