Why Waldorf?

Student Profile BETHANY MANGLE ’21—WHY WALDORF?

Bethany Mangle, class of ’21, always jokes that both of her passions are on opposite ends of the spectrum. After hanging up her hard hat as an occupational safety supervisor in the nuclear industry, she picks up her pen and resumes work on her latest young adult novel.

For years, Bethany pursued her dream of becoming a published author while furthering her professional background in safety, rescue, and security. After graduating with a master’s degree, Bethany decided to specialize further by pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Science in Occupational Safety at Waldorf University.

“At first, I wasn’t sure what was most important to me in a school,” she explained. “But when I saw the coursework at Waldorf, I knew right away that it would be a great fit for me. Plus, everyone I spoke to while I applied was so kind and clearly committed to helping me succeed.”

As a student, Bethany loved learning about new techniques or resources that she could use at work. Many of the assignments resonated with her or reminded her of personal experiences at a particular plant.

“I enjoyed the coursework at Waldorf because it allowed me to see how different techniques could be applied in the real world without the actual pressure of an accident or injury,” Bethany said. “I also liked talking about safety with my fellow students and seeing how things are done differently in other industries.”

Still, in spite of her passion for safety, Bethany never gave up on her writing. She made time most evenings to jot down a few words. She even put a little dry erase board in her locker, where she wrote down a favorite phrase to keep her motivated: Don’t quit your day dream.

In 2019, Bethany’s hard work paid off when she heard the amazing news that Simon & Schuster would be publishing her debut novel, "Prepped", through their Margaret K. McElderry Books imprint. "Prepped" follows protagonist Becca Aldaine, a teenage girl raised in a doomsday community who plots her escape with the boy from the bunker next door.

Bethany was inspired to write "Prepped" after watching an emergency drill. While considering worst outcomes and identifying the most error-likely tasks on a given day make sense at a nuclear plant, she started to wonder what it would be like to live your personal life that way as well.

As she drafted "Prepped", Bethany researched survivalism, natural disasters, and off-grid living. Soon, she was balancing doomsday prepping research and her homework, which sometimes coincided in amusing ways. “There’s a scene in the book that talks about firefighting. I wrote that shortly after finishing Introduction to Fire Prevention.”

Bethany has since written and sold a second novel, "All the Right Reasons". She lives in Mississippi with her husband, James, and their spoiled dog, Remi.