A Royal Tale: Content creator Willem Hedrick ’27 sharpens skills at EMU

Editor’s Note: This profile is the first of six stories about students and alumni leading up to LovEMU Giving Day on April 2. For more information about the day and how to donate, visit: love.emu.edu

As a native of Waterloo, Ontario, EMU sophomore Willem Hedrick ’27 often hears the same question: “Why would you choose to attend a university in the U.S. when tuition is so much cheaper in Canada?” people ask him. 

The answer is that EMU isn’t just any university. Its unparalleled emphasis on academic excellence, peace & justice, and active faith was the unique blend of values that Hedrick was looking for in a school. EMU’s robust Visual and Communication Arts (VACA) department, its small class sizes and personalized approach to hands-on learning, its strong sense of community—not to mention its top-flight disc golf team—made EMU more than just a place for him to continue his learning; it was the only place.

“EMU was the only school I applied to,” said Hedrick, who is majoring in digital media with a minor in marketing. “I didn’t look anywhere else.”

From a young age, Hedrick discovered a way to combine his love of video games with a passion for making videos. The 11-year-old would record himself playing Minecraft on his computer and upload the videos to YouTube. He still does that, but now on a much grander scale. Today, his channel boasts more than eight million subscribers (for reference, the YouTube channel for the Red Hot Chili Peppers has 8.1 million subscribers), which is part of the 15 million followers who watch his content across various platforms. 

Hedrick said his digital media classes at EMU have taught him new skills, including how to shoot documentary films, record better audio, and use proper lighting techniques. Last semester, through a weekend workshop at EMU, he became a certified commercial drone pilot. It’s something, he said, he’s wanted to do “for the longest time.”

“Being in a classroom, having a professor there to give me feedback, and having projects to hold me accountable has been so helpful,” he said.

Outside of the classroom, Hedrick found a sense of belonging on the disc golf course. He was a member of last year’s squad that competed at nationals and will return with the team to Rock Hill, South Carolina, this year as it competes at the 2025 College Disc Golf National Championship in April.

Hedrick, who was raised Mennonite, had considered taking a gap year after graduating from high school (Rockway Mennonite Collegiate) to devote more time to his video projects. It wasn’t until his parents, EMU grads Tim and Janice ’94, suggested he take a look at their alma mater that he thought seriously about higher education. EMU awarded him the President’s Scholarship, which has significantly helped bring his college costs down. It’s not quite to the same level as the cost of college in Canada, but it’s close enough.

“It definitely made my decision to come here much easier,” Hedrick said about his scholarships (he is also a VACA scholarship recipient).

Your generous support helps students like Hedrick pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 9th annual LovEMU Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future EMU students. Together, we can help write EMU’s next chapter.