Texan Mosaic

by STEVEN GEHEGAN//Staff Writer 

Cat Steinhauer has helped many students during her time at South Plains College.

But now she is ready to explore the next part of her life. After 15 years of teaching at SPC, Steinhauer has decided to step down.

She has been teaching the same class for the past 15 years and had an impact on the students that she taught.

But she has not always worked in a classroom. Her previous work experiences range from being a bank teller and a loan interviewer in Richmond, Virginia, to be a clothing store department manager and a residential real estate agent. Teaching at SPC has been her fifth career, but likely not her last.

“All have their pluses,” Steinhauer says. “The previous ones were a good foundation.”

Steinhauer professed interest in a couple of different jobs after leaving SPC. She says she is planning to explore a new career, seeking work at the University of Georgia or in sales.

Steinhauer plans to move to Athens, Georgia, where she may seek a job at a university. Steinhauer says she would like to help at-risk students be successful when they are trying to attend college.

“I want to try something different, like student success or work with at-risk students,” said Steinhauer.

She expressed interest in this because it was of the things that she has taught at SPC, and she enjoys helping all of her students be successful now and later on in life.   

Another career that Steinhauer plans to look into is a job in sales. She has had previous success in sales, as she stated that she once worked as the regional sales manager for Inter Bake Foods. Her sales territory covered a five-state area where she would sell products. She explained how her previous sales experience helped her in the classroom

“Even though am not selling a tangible product, I am selling higher education,” says Steinhauer.

Steinhauer says she enjoyed her time in sales, especially all of the travelling that she got to do.

The past 15 years at SPC have meant a lot to Steinhauer, she says, and it has made an impact on her.

“It has been rewarding to help young people,” says Steinhauer, “not just teaching sociology, but teaching skills for life, and it will help them in the future.”

Steinhauer says she has lots of fond memories of teaching at SPC, “too many great memories at SPC to narrow it down to just a few.”

She is very fond of her time at SPC, adding that this was a great job to have, since she had so many. She says she will enjoy all the memories she made here, while she is also looking forward to making many new memories in her next career.

“I’m excited about the next chapter in life,” Steinhauer says. “I am also going to be following SPC’s success.”

She added that she hopes the college will continue to be a great place for students to go and get an education.