From the Eagle Nest to South Korea: LSMSA Alum Erykah Wells Finds Her Calling Teaching Abroad

Wells' path has been anything but predictable, and that's exactly what makes her story so inspiring. After graduating from Lindenwood University in 2020, she felt called back to the place that shaped her. For three years, she worked as a Student Life Advisor in LSMSA's Living Learning Community, giving back to the school that had given her so much. But the spirit of exploration that first brought her to LSMSA as a student wouldn't let her settle down for long. When an opportunity arose to teach in South Korea, she took a leap of faith.

 

"Everything about my life today is unexpected and could not have been predicted," Wells shares. "However, I am the happiest I have ever been in my adult life because I ignored discomfort and went where I felt I could thrive." Now, she teaches conversational English to approximately 40 elementary students, and the connections she has made have been transformative. "Seeing the love and adoration I have for my students reciprocated back to me is a feeling that I cannot quite put into words, but it is really amazing." She's even organized virtual exchanges between her South Korean students and current LSMSA Eagles, creating a meaningful cross-cultural learning experience.

 

When Wells reflects on what prepared her for this adventure, she thinks of two LSMSA educators who helped shape who she is today: Dr. Jason Anderson and Mr. Jeff Thomakos. "Dr. Anderson and Mr. Thomakos watered the logical and creative parts of me. As a result, I am a well-rounded adult who can navigate new experiences with an open mind," she explains. “To them, this is my official thank you.” That balance, between analytical thinking and creative courage, has been her compass as she's built a life in South Korea, learning Korean, traveling across Asia, and even exploring the possibility of pursuing a PhD in education.

 

For current and future LSMSA students wondering if they should take that chance, try that thing, or follow that dream, Wells has simple but powerful advice: "Be afraid. Then, do it anyway." Her journey, from studying acting and sport management to earning a master's in higher education, to teaching on the other side of the world, proves that the foundation built at LSMSA prepares students not just for one career path, but for whatever path calls to them. “If you feel drawn to a specific career or location, don’t ignore it because it is outside of the norm or different from what you expected for yourself. Give it a try,” encourages Wells.

 

We couldn't be prouder of where Erykah's wings have taken her, and we can't wait to see where she soars next.

 

The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) is a tuition-free, public high school for high-achieving sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a nominal room and board fee to cover housing, meals, and campus activities. The LSMSA Foundation offers assistance for families so that no eligible student is denied the school’s 42-year legacy of a college-level living/learning experience. 

 

For more information about LSMSA, visit www.LSMSA.edu.