By MADELINE REIDA

Staff writer

Marion graduate and mathematics and physics major Kyle Brinker is one of 12 Emporia State University students honored with a Shepherd scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year.

The scholarship honors Emporia’s top seniors.

Brinker is studying to become a teacher of advanced mathematics and physics.

“I really enjoyed helping others and helping them understand the class work,” he said. “I really enjoy the ‘aha’ moment, as I call it. At Emporia State, I learned a lot of theory and a lot of concepts that relate to helping students with their abstract ideas”

He will be going into his senior year at Emporia while working as a dietary cook and health screener at St. Luke Hospital in Marion. He also does substitute teaching for the Emporia school district.

Shawna Pierce, Brinker’s mother and the dietary manager at St. Luke, said he didn’t have a plan for where he wanted to teach yet.

“He loves Emporia, but I don’t know if that’s where he wants to settle down,” she said. “That whole town just embraces those kids. They’ve always got something going on downtown.”

Before Emporia, Brinker went to Butler Community College. Teachers there and in high school inspired him.

“He’s had some really good teachers here, at Butler, and at Emporia,” Pierce said. “We’ve been really blessed.”