Emma Thompson ’23Alumni and Staff

I've dedicated six years to coaching dance, with two of them as the Program Director for Le Center Just For Kix. I am now continuing my coaching endeavors as a coach for the Gustavus Adolphus College Dance Team. Additionally, I use my certification as a dance judge with the Judges Association of Minnesota (JAM) to evaluate Minnesota high school dance teams (through the MSHSL) during the winter months. After dancing competitively in a mentally and physically unhealthy environment, I am outspoken and passionate about ethical coaching and dancers' mental health; I have made it a mission of mine to ensure every dancer I get to interact with has a positive, uplifting dance career.

I am currently Marketing Associate at Good Steward Consulting located in Albert Lea, Minnesota, and have a rich background rooted in rural West Central Minnesota. Having grown up in the small town known as "The Corn Capital," my formative years were marked by active involvement in Girl Scouts, church activities, and unforgettable experiences immersed in nature during summer camps and family camping trips. My affinity for the outdoors, agriculture, and rural communities stems from cherished memories of joining my father — a small business owner and retired volunteer fireman — on job sites, practice fires, and controlled burns. These core experiences painted the canvas of my warm and joyful childhood in rural, out state Minnesota.

Venturing into higher education, I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Political Science with a focus on Public Health from Gustavus Adolphus College. During my years as a student at Gustavus I was involved with Theta Xi Gamma, the Campus Activies Board, and Sunday Worship Community, while also working in the Church Relations and Chaplains office.