After graduating from Newman with dual degrees in biology and mathematics, Margaret Koenig ’25 put her skills to work in an unexpected place: at a nonprofit children’s home in southern Africa.
Koenig first heard about the opportunity while lifeguarding at the YMCA, where a conversation led her to a full-time role at Pasture Valley, a children’s home and working farm in the Kingdom of Eswatini.
“I always wanted to work on a farm,” she said. “My dad grew up on one, so that’s always kind of been in my blood.”
Since arriving in July 2025, Koenig has split her time between financial work, greenhouse projects and tutoring children. Her primary role involves managing donations and expenditures for Caring for Shiselweni, the nonprofit that oversees the children’s home and provides social services to vulnerable families in the region.
She’s also learning hands-on agricultural skills in the farm’s greenhouse and recently began training in its tissue culture lab.
“Most of the equipment in the lab I’ve seen and used at Newman, although we did not grow plants in Newman’s labs,” she said.
Time at Newman
During her studies, Koenig served as a teaching assistant in the general chemistry lab for three semesters under Associate Professor of Chemistry Alan Oberley and later worked as a learning assistant in the physics program with Associate Professor Ryan Huschka.
“Both of them are just very strong Catholic men, and they’re wonderful teachers,” she said. “They’ve been good role models for sure. I’ve really appreciated them.”
Koenig competed on the women’s triathlon team and was active in Campus Ministry. Her favorite math course, she said, was linear algebra.
“That was the only class that I was actually sad when it ended. I loved that class,” she said.
In 2024, Koenig received Newman’s Sister JoAnn Mark Outstanding Math Student Award, presented to her by Dean of Arts and Sciences Lori Steiner, Ph.D.
“Maggie consistently exhibits a strong understanding of complex mathematical concepts and enjoys learning both theoretical and applied mathematics,” Steiner said.
Koenig’s time at Newman also shaped her faith journey. After growing up in Protestant denominations, she entered the Catholic Church during her senior year.
“I had a lot of friends who loved me enough to challenge me in what I believed,” she said. “That took a lot of arguing and a lot of humility on my part, realizing that I did not know everything.”
The children’s home
At Pasture Valley, Koenig works with kids of all ages from difficult backgrounds, but they have continued to impress her. She said some of the high school boys even helped the adults fight off a recent wildfire on the farm.
“It was so brave of them, and so good that they have this sense of responsibility about protecting their home,” she said.
Koenig said her time at Pasture Valley so far has been full of small, sweet moments.
“I love it here,” she said. “This is what I had planned, but I wasn’t exactly sure what it would look like until I got here.”
Learn about Newman’s biology program
At Newman, biology students engage in hands-on learning within the Bishop Gerber Science Center’s state-of-the art laboratories.
