For Natalie Futrell, Germanna isn’t just where she works—it’s home. Now an assistant professor of communication studies at the College, her Germanna journey began in 2004 as a student.
In high school, Professor Futrell had dreams of heading off to a four-year university to study marine biology, and with her impressive grades, it seemed like that dream would soon turn to reality.
But her plans had to take a backseat as she realized financially, heading straight to a four-year school wouldn’t be a possibility.
“I had a lot of financial issues growing up,” says Professor Futrell. “I was raised by a single mom, so finances were tight. And at the time that I was graduating from high school, student loans weren’t as easily accessible as they are now.”
Unsure of her next move, Professor Futrell graduated from Massaponax High School and decided to take a semester off to figure out her path.
Little did she know her next step would lead her to a community that would always feel like home.
After a few semesters under her belt, Professor Futrell became more interested in her elective courses, resulting in her changing her major to liberal arts. She graduated with her associate degree from Germanna in 2005 and was excited to finally follow her dream of going to a four-year school.
Professor Futrell applied to the University of Mary Washington, hoping to get back to her original goal of becoming a marine biologist. She began her bachelor’s degree journey in 2006 as a biology major, but midway through her program, she took an interest in geography.
“I realized I had a passion for learning about other countries and cultures, so geography felt like the better fit for me. I decided to change my major midway through my journey at UMW, and I ended up graduating with my bachelor’s degree in geography in 2009.”
After graduating in the middle of the national recession, Professor Futrell had a tough time landing a job post-graduation. Her path led her back to Germanna, where she applied to work as event staff at the College’s Workforce & Technology Center. She then transitioned to another part of the College, working in the cashier’s office.
During this time, Professor Futrell went back to school for her master’s degree. She earned two degrees simultaneously, with one in international relations and the other in communications.
“I wanted to build on my love for different cultures and languages,” she recalls. “Shortly after I finished up those degrees, I was contacted by the communications department chair at Germanna, asking if I wanted to teach as an adjunct professor. I felt like the role was perfect for me, so I said yes.”
Today, Professor Futrell has been educating students at Germanna for almost 10 years, serving in adjunct and associate instructor roles, and more recently as an assistant professor.
And though it’s a full circle moment, Professor Futrell isn’t at all surprised that she ended up where she is now.
And that connection runs even deeper for her, as the classroom she teaches her public speaking course in today is the very classroom she sat in as a student.
“I teach the exact course that I took when I was a student at Germanna in the exact same classroom. And when I was enrolled in the class, I was just as afraid of public speaking as my current students are. So, that connection gives me the opportunity to understand my students’ fears and anxieties on another level, and it helps me better relate to them.”
In the five different courses that Professor Futrell teaches each semester, her primary goal is to create a sense of community and belonging in each class.
When Professor Futrell was in high school, she found out that her grandfather was of Choctaw heritage, the third-largest Native American Nation in the United States. Her family lineage connects to Peter Pitchlynn, a prominent Choctaw military and political leader who played a major role in building the national tribal government during the nineteenth century.
And though Professor Futrell’s grandfather was born on the reservation in Oklahoma, he later moved to Texas and kept his heritage a secret.
“I couldn’t understand why my family felt the need to hide it,” says Professor Futrell. “Having so much connection to this heritage seems like something to be proud of.”
After discovering these cultural ties, Professor Futrell was inspired to learn more about her heritage, researching the Choctaw Nation and learning how to speak the native language. She was drawn to the Choctaw way of life, resonating with the culture’s strong sense of connection, faith, and acceptance. And though her grandfather wasn’t forthcoming with his Choctaw heritage, she realized that he still very much upheld Choctaw values.
As another semester comes to a close, Professor Futrell is grateful to continue making an impact at Germanna, just as the College has impacted her over the last 20 years.
“In my role, I’m able to help my students accomplish things they never thought were possible. I’m also able to create a small community in my classroom and allow all of my students to feel seen and heard. It makes me feel like I’m doing right by my grandpa, and it is very rewarding.”
