Brooke Burton
Student Writer
If you’ve ever considered trying out for the show Survivor, you might want French Professor Heather Dravk on your team.
Dravk’s idea of the perfect girls’ weekend with her friends involves camping trips and outdoor activities. She’s done several triathlons and outdoor relay events such as the Ragnar.
Last summer, she found herself running alone in the woods for a relay at 1:30 am after a huge rainstorm. “You learn a lot about yourself in moments like that; you don’t know how you’re going to react until you’re in that situation,” Dravk said.
Dravk’s sense of adventure can be witnessed in other areas of her life as well.
In March of 2006, her family was packing to move and she received a call from her former French teacher in high school, who was working at Messiah at the time. She encouraged Dravk to apply for a teaching position.
She recalls telling her husband, “Don’t touch the computer, we can’t pack the computer up, I need it to update my resume!”
Dravk applied that night and began teaching at Messiah College in the fall of 2006. She’s been teaching at the school for 13 years and her responsibilities have steadily increased.
She started teaching one class a semester and now works full time teaching four classes a semester. Her other responsibilities include administrative work within the French department.
Dravk speaks highly of her experience at Messiah. “I now have an administrative side to me that I didn’t even realize existed when I was in that wonderful, easy life of teaching part-time,” she said.
Dravk’s roles include helping out with accepted student preview days and prospective student meetings. She also updates the course catalog and website accordingly within the French program, including study abroad.
In her life outside Messiah, the polished professor takes care of her two teenage kids with her husband. She is very dedicated to her family and often brings work home to stay on top of her responsibilities.
Dravk enjoys helping her kids with homework, cooking together and spending quality time as a family.
In her free time, Dravk can be found having fun with family and friends. Her ideal day would consist of reading for pleasure and enjoying the outdoors, no matter the weather.
Dravk is certain that every step she took led her to Messiah and believes it was meant to be. If you see her around campus, be sure to say bonjour!