The Tower Fellows community attends Leslie Carle Friedrich's performance of Herr Puntila und sein Knecht Matti.
Tower Fellow Journey
UT Austin Tower Fellow Leslie Carle Friedrich
Takes Center Stage
Takes Center Stage
Leslie Carle Friedrich was not expecting to become the star of the show when she joined the Tower Fellows Program, the encore education program at The University of Texas at Austin, but she found herself in the spotlight after reigniting a decades-old love for the German language.
After taking the course “German Composition and Conversation” with Dr. Thorsten Ries, Assistant Professor of Germanic Studies, in the fall, Friedrich registered for “German Play Student Production” this spring, where she joined undergraduates in the development and performance of Herr Puntila und sein Knecht Matti by Bertolt Brecht.
“Discovering what my contribution was gave me a good feeling of being ‘part of a whole,’” Friedrich said. “It’s definitely made me feel a part of The University of Texas at Austin.”
Friedrich played “the Telephone Operator” in two performances at the Scottish Rite Theater in Austin and served on the marketing committee for the class.
After spending her junior year of college in Hamburg, Germany, Friedrich later worked in software sales in Dusseldorf. She holds a bachelor's degree in German and French from Hendrix College.
“Interactions with students trigger a lot of memories of my college and grad school experiences 50 years ago — comparing and contrasting then and now is fascinating,” Friedrich said. “It also brings home the fact that time is fleeting, and we all need to seize the day!”
Dr. Kit Belgum, Associate Professor of Germanic Studies, said Friedrich’s business background not only helped with the logistics of advertising, but also encouraged undergraduates to embrace the challenges of performing in another language.
“Having students see how someone with Leslie’s extensive professional experience can ‘cut loose’ reduces their own inhibitions,” Belgum said.
After taking the course “German Composition and Conversation” with Dr. Thorsten Ries, Assistant Professor of Germanic Studies, in the fall, Friedrich registered for “German Play Student Production” this spring, where she joined undergraduates in the development and performance of Herr Puntila und sein Knecht Matti by Bertolt Brecht.
“Discovering what my contribution was gave me a good feeling of being ‘part of a whole,’” Friedrich said. “It’s definitely made me feel a part of The University of Texas at Austin.”
Friedrich played “the Telephone Operator” in two performances at the Scottish Rite Theater in Austin and served on the marketing committee for the class.
After spending her junior year of college in Hamburg, Germany, Friedrich later worked in software sales in Dusseldorf. She holds a bachelor's degree in German and French from Hendrix College.
“Interactions with students trigger a lot of memories of my college and grad school experiences 50 years ago — comparing and contrasting then and now is fascinating,” Friedrich said. “It also brings home the fact that time is fleeting, and we all need to seize the day!”
Dr. Kit Belgum, Associate Professor of Germanic Studies, said Friedrich’s business background not only helped with the logistics of advertising, but also encouraged undergraduates to embrace the challenges of performing in another language.
“Having students see how someone with Leslie’s extensive professional experience can ‘cut loose’ reduces their own inhibitions,” Belgum said.
Friedrich said prospective Fellows should not shy away from interactive courses, as the program allowed her more time to commit to practices and performances.
“It’s the effort that counts,” she said.
Belgum said having a Tower Fellow in her course both inspired students and Friedrich the opportunity to experience a true University of Texas education.
“It’s the effort that counts,” she said.
Belgum said having a Tower Fellow in her course both inspired students and Friedrich the opportunity to experience a true University of Texas education.
Leslie Carle Friedrich performs in the German theatre production of Herr Puntila und sein Knecht Matti.
“Such an investment will show [Fellows] what undergraduate student life and learning at UT these days entails — both the effort that students put into their education and their openness to trying new things,” the professor said.
Several Tower Fellows cheered on Friedrich during the entertaining performance, relying on her spectacular humor and the subtitles provided.
“I really appreciated the support,” Friedrich said, noting the Fellows are “good friends for sitting through an hour and a half of a German comedy.” That sense of camaraderie and shared experience is just one of the many unexpected rewards Friedrich has discovered through the Tower Fellows Program.
“Every challenge brings a benefit,” Friedrich reflected. “Being a Tower Fellow has made me realize the advantages of being 70 rather than 17.”
With age comes a deeper appreciation for the effort behind academic work. “I appreciate the work that professors put into designing and teaching classes. The amount of preparation might be lost on teenagers, but not on the ‘older professionals’ who can appreciate what kind of effort goes into the class.”
This perspective shift has also brought a new understanding. Friedrich added, “Not every problem has a clear solution, but you can always look at it from different perspectives.” And with that, comes the realization that it’s okay not to have an opinion on every issue—and just as importantly, that it’s okay to change your opinion.
One moment that stood out was when Doris Kearns Goodwin spoke to the Corporate Governance class during lunch, coinciding with Friedrich’s 70th birthday. “She told us, ‘Life has a way of humbling us all,’” Friedrich recalled. “That made me realize that acquiring humility and kindness are two big benefits that come with age.”
Friedrich completed her Tower Fellows Program experience in April 2025. To continue her new found passion for acting, she will be performing in the world premiere production of Walnut Ridge: The Musical at The Nebraska Communities Playhouse in Hickman, Nebraska. She plans to return to the Forty Acres for a reunion with her cohort in the fall, and is grateful for the opportunity to have participated in UT's encore education program.
Read Friedrich’s Tower Fellow bio.
Several Tower Fellows cheered on Friedrich during the entertaining performance, relying on her spectacular humor and the subtitles provided.
“I really appreciated the support,” Friedrich said, noting the Fellows are “good friends for sitting through an hour and a half of a German comedy.” That sense of camaraderie and shared experience is just one of the many unexpected rewards Friedrich has discovered through the Tower Fellows Program.
“Every challenge brings a benefit,” Friedrich reflected. “Being a Tower Fellow has made me realize the advantages of being 70 rather than 17.”
With age comes a deeper appreciation for the effort behind academic work. “I appreciate the work that professors put into designing and teaching classes. The amount of preparation might be lost on teenagers, but not on the ‘older professionals’ who can appreciate what kind of effort goes into the class.”
This perspective shift has also brought a new understanding. Friedrich added, “Not every problem has a clear solution, but you can always look at it from different perspectives.” And with that, comes the realization that it’s okay not to have an opinion on every issue—and just as importantly, that it’s okay to change your opinion.
One moment that stood out was when Doris Kearns Goodwin spoke to the Corporate Governance class during lunch, coinciding with Friedrich’s 70th birthday. “She told us, ‘Life has a way of humbling us all,’” Friedrich recalled. “That made me realize that acquiring humility and kindness are two big benefits that come with age.”
Friedrich completed her Tower Fellows Program experience in April 2025. To continue her new found passion for acting, she will be performing in the world premiere production of Walnut Ridge: The Musical at The Nebraska Communities Playhouse in Hickman, Nebraska. She plans to return to the Forty Acres for a reunion with her cohort in the fall, and is grateful for the opportunity to have participated in UT's encore education program.
Read Friedrich’s Tower Fellow bio.