Getting used to new surroundings is nothing new for Jennifer Nighswander.
After growing up and attending high school in Essex, Ontario, Nighswander accepted a volleyball scholarship to Eastern Michigan University and adapted to the different academic and athletic paces of American culture.
Beginning in the 2005-06 school year, she will start a new career path at Brandon High School as a math teacher.
Nighswander, 23, will teach Geometry and Algebra 1 at Brandon High School during the upcoming school year.
She completed her education at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti in April 2005, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in math education.
Nighswander achieved numerous accolades during her time on the EMU volleyball team, including being selected twice to the Academic All-Mid American Conference Volleyball team, which is voted on by the league’s faculty athletic representatives.
To qualify for that award, student-athletes must attain at least a 3.2 cumulative grade point average and have participated in at least 50 percent of their team’s contests.
She finished her career as the all-time MAC and school leader in digs with 1,897, and also ranked first in school history in attempts (4,456), first in games played (438), second in aces (185) and fourth in kills (1,269). She was also an honorable mention All-MAC selection in 2002.
In addition, Nighswander was a three-time MAC West Division Player of the Week and a two-time MAC Scholar of the Week.
However, college volleyball was not always smooth sailing for Nighswander, as she made the adjustment from high school sports in Canada to college sports in the United States.
‘It was quite difficult at first,? she said. ‘The pace of sports in Canada is slower. The college game is so much faster, and the systems are so much more advanced. It took about a season for me to get adjusted.?
By contrast, she said the adjustment to college classwork was a little easier ? at least initially ? since students in Ontario complete 13 grade levels before attending college.
‘In my fifth year of high school, I took college prep courses such as calculus and algebra,? Nighswander said. ‘When I came to Eastern, it was a little easier getting used to the academics. When I got into my major classes, it was more difficult.?
Nighswander listed a couple of memories from playing volleyball at EMU that stand out in her mind. One of them was defeating Ball State University in 2002, her junior year. Ball State had been a perennial thorn in Eastern’s side for years before the Eagles broke through for the win.
‘We defeated them in three games, and it was good for us,? she said.
That same year, she traveled with her EMU teammates to Brazil in the summer to take on several Brazilian professional teams.
After she graduated from EMU, she spent the 2004 season as a student assistant coach under EMU head coach Kim Berrington before completing her degree the following spring.
Nighswander said pursuing a career as a teacher was a natural fit, since her dad was a high school teacher and her mom a college professor.
‘I love the experience that I can provide with kids,? she said. ‘I want to be a good role model.?
When the 2005-06 school year hits, Nighswander said her main objectives as a first-year teacher will be ‘to get to know the kids and give them the best education I can provide them.?
With her volleyball playing and coaching background, Brandon Athletic Director Larry Lamphere said Nighswander would be welcome to help out the Brandon volleyball program, where varsity head coach Brian Williams just completed his first season at the helm.
Nighswander, who coached high school varsity volleyball in Ypsilanti for two years while at EMU, said she is ready to assist the Brandon program in any way possible.
‘I’m going to help out my first year and get to know the kids as much as I can,? she said.
For his part, Williams said he has not been able to reach Nighswander to discuss her potential role with the Brandon program, but will do so as soon as possible.
Williams said since Nighswander will be a first-year teacher, he is not sure how her schedule would affect her ability to help out the Blackhawks. Still, he said she would be a valuable person to have in the program if she is able to help.
‘Anytime you can get someone in the program with her experience, it would be a help to our program,? he said.
Nighswander is the daughter of Tim Nighswander of Essex and Lou Ann Pope of Windsor, Ontario. She has one sister, Dana, 27, also of Windsor.