Sophomore Wilson Munsterman appears on The Creative Life podcast, sharing his adoption journey. The episode, recorded March 26 at KPAO Studio, is expected to air later this year.

At just 20 years old, Creighton University sophomore Wilson Munsterman has already reached a milestone many writers never accomplish. His self-published book, “Marked by Adoption,” is being added to the Library of Congress. 

Munsterman, a marketing major in the Heider College of Business, wrote the book about eight months after his senior year of high school. “Marked by Adoption” is a 120-page book that shares 10 personal insights and stories from his life as an adoptee. He described it as a “textbook-journal hybrid” meant to educate readers while also giving a voice to experiences that are often misunderstood or ignored. 

“I saw that adoption is something that doesn’t get talked about,” Munsterman said. “People need a voice, and no one was really doing it, so I figured why not me?” 

The book grew out of both personal experience and a desire to help others. Munsterman said one of the hardest parts of writing was deciding how vulnerable he wanted to be. Some of the stories in the book involve painful comments and assumptions people made about his adoption, and he admitted that a few of those stories had not even been shared with his own parents before the book was published. 

Beyond writing, he also had to figure out how to publish and promote the book on his own. Without a team, major funding or formal publishing experience, Munsterman relied heavily on social media and support from mentors, especially Shannon Bingham, who he said encouraged him throughout the process. 

Munsterman said self-doubt was one of the biggest obstacles he faced. As a teenager writing about such a personal and emotional subject, he often questioned whether he was the right person to tell the story. Over time, though, that mindset changed. 

“I had that ‘why me?’” Munsterman said. “But it became ‘why not me?’ Why wasn’t anybody doing it?” 

Since the book’s release, Munsterman said he has received messages from adoptees, birth mothers and families who connected with his story. Some told him the book helped them process their own experiences or start difficult conversations they had never had before. 

The recognition from the Library of Congress has also brought more visibility, including media interviews, speaking engagements and community attention. Still, Munsterman said he tries to stay grounded in faith and gratitude. 

“I’m steering the ship, but God has the map,” he said. 

For Munsterman, the book’s success means more than sales or recognition. He said success is rooted in relationships, support and purpose. 

Now, as his story continues to reach new audiences, Munsterman sees “Marked by Adoption” as both a major accomplishment and the beginning of something bigger.

WILSON MUNSTERMAN
Heider College of Business
Sophomore