Track and Field Head Coach Clyde Morgan calls Takeshi Greiner ’24 a charcoal guy.
“Too many people are gas grillers,” he said, “They want things right away. Takeshi’s not like that. He’s willing to work and grind to get things he appreciates.”
Greiner’s journey to Wabash is a good example.
Most Wabash students move to Crawfordsville when they begin their freshman year, but Greiner’s family moved to Crawfordsville when he was in sixth grade. Their neighbor Rob Reimondo ’93, a Wabash graduate and member of Phi Delta Theta, urged him to consider Wabash.
When Greiner struggled with high school calculus, he took advantage of Wabash’s tutoring program. His math tutor shared his own Wabash experience, which increased Greiner’s interest.
What sealed the deal was the ability to continue an outstanding track and field career from high school into his college years. He has run hurdles since high school, and he loves the culture of the Wabash track and field team.
“Coach Morgan pushes having a good, positive mindset,” Greiner said. “It’s pretty tough sometimes, but it’s important to think that way to stay motivated and determined.”
Morgan knew he was going to have to build Greiner’s confidence when he came in as a freshman.
“Half the battle was just to get him to believe that he belonged here in this program,” Morgan said. “Takeshi was the only freshman hurdler with a group of all-conference upperclassmen. He came into an intimidating environment, but he soaked it up.”
Greiner earned the Phil Allen Newcomer of the Year Award his freshman year. The award is given to a new member of the track and field team who has demonstrated excellence in his events and made a great impact on the team.
“He got his confidence built up in all these other avenues in his life,” Morgan said, “and then track stuff just started clicking.”
In May, Greiner contributed to Wabash’s victory in the 2024 NCAC men’s outdoor track and field championship. He shaved two seconds off his personal best time, running the 400-meter hurdles in 54.58 seconds.
Greiner initially chose to major in biology with the goal of becoming a pediatrician, but ultimately decided against medicine.
From an early conversation, Assistant Teaching Professor of Biology Anne Bost, Greiner’s academic advisor, predicted where his interest would lead him.
“Takeshi’s eyes lit up for one option in particular,” she said. “In my advising notes from that day, I scribbled while I listened to him: ‘Teach?’”
He added an education studies minor. Another influence on his decision is clear: both of Greiner’s parents are educators, a fact he mentioned with obvious pride.
Many of Greiner’s experiences shaped his path to a future as an educator. He worked for two summers as a camp counselor with 正规赌钱软件appst Lafayette Parks. He has also served as Phikeia Educator for Phi Delta Theta, which involves educating new pledges and teaching them about the history and culture of the fraternity. In this role, Greiner created a new syllabus and quizzes for the program, to be passed on to the next brother to take up the position.
Bost says Greiner’s experiences as a student have shaped him into an excellent teacher, as he managed to make the Dean’s list while taking a full course load.
“I’m super proud of the skills he has gained to facilitate his own learning,” she said. “Having walked this path, he’ll be well-equipped to help his own students in the future—not just to learn material but to learn how to learn.”
Greiner will spend the summer in Purdue’s Transition to Teaching program, an 18-credit program that leads to the Indiana Instructional Practitioner license. In the fall, he will join Crawfordsville 正规赌钱软件app School as a biology teacher.
“I’m a little nervous because I don’t have too much experience yet,” he said. “But the biology department at Crawfordsville has been super helpful to me. They’re very caring, showing me the ropes.”