From journalism to culinary and more, our photography and communications teacher Markus Pfeiffer is a man of many talents. His extensive teaching background, unique history, and intriguing hobbies set him apart.
“I grew up in Switzerland in the German speaking part,” said Pfeiffer. “It’s a small, beautiful country [with] mountains, hills, lakes— And [it’s] a very safe country [with] lots of public transportation.”
Pfeiffer grew up speaking German and developed his love for nature and biking in his home country. He stays connected with his culture in various ways, like celebrating national holidays such as the Swiss Independence Day on August 1st.
“I’m still very much connected to my country Switzerland and usually visit about once a year,” said Pfeiffer.
Pfeiffer came to the US from Switzerland when he was 20 years old to join an international music and dance group called “Up With People.” About 100 young people from all over the world formed a cast that stayed together for one year of traveling and performing.
He even shared a piece of his culture when he sang a traditional Swiss folk song for Maelstrom’s 2023 Spring Open Mic, encouraging the audience to move with the lyrics as well.
“It was a one of a kind performance,” said Maelstrom sponsor Raymond Obispo. “We had a Swiss teacher (Pfeiffer) leading a yodel with students from VB on the stage. You’d be hard-pressed to find that anywhere [else].”
He is also licensed to teach his native language in schools, among a plethora of other subjects.
“I’ve been teaching for many years,” said Pfeiffer. “I taught strategic communication, digital media communication, photography, and journalism at Regent University. Then I taught film production, film making, and video production at ODU. I [also] have a license to teach independent living, culinary arts, and technology education. I’ve taught all of these different topics at different times and places in my life.”
But regardless of what he teaches, Pfeiffer tries to incorporate lessons that are useful to his students in their different futures.
“I like to make classes very practical for students, always thinking [about] what comes for them after high school, [whether that is employment, enlistment, or enrollment],” said Pfeiffer. “I try to make my teachings very relevant to life so that they have skills— academic, mental, or hands-on— that help them navigate life in a more effective way.”
This mindset is shown in class when he gives students independent time to roam outside the classroom and experiment with what he’s taught them. His students also appreciate the effort he puts into teaching.
“He makes content easy to learn,” said senior Sandy Stevens. “He also makes sure everyone is up to pace with the class, and if someone’s having trouble, he goes around helping them.”
Outside of his teaching life, Pfeiffer spends his free time on his hobbies, one of which is sheep farming.
“For about 15 years now, I take care of anywhere from 8-16 sheep, depending on the time of the year,” said Pfeiffer. “Right now I have ten and they are just grazing all day in my backyard.”
Another hobby he has is keeping up with the latest technology. He owns a Tesla for its innovative features, like a green battery and self-driving feature, and he also owns an electric bicycle.
“I like newer technologies and vehicles,” said Pfeiffer. “I have an e-bike, [and] I ride it to school every day that I can whenever weather permits. I charge it overnight and it drives for like four or five days.”
Pfeiffer, although a fairly recent addition to Salem, has made a name for himself in the community. Anyone interested in learning photography, or hearing some of his tales, should look into taking his photography and communications class next year.
