1) What year did you
graduate and what was your area of emphasis?
I graduated in spring 2012 in English with an emphasis in
Professional Writing.
2) How did you wind
up working at UW-Platteville after graduation?
I wound up working at UW-Platteville after graduation
because the fine folks in University Information and Communications decided to
keep me. I started working as a student writer when I first transferred to
UW-Platteville as a non-traditional student in spring of 2011, and happily, I've never left.
3) Could you tell us
a little about the paths you've traveled since you graduated?
Well, the path I traveled before I graduated was a bit more
interesting. I lived in five cities in ten years, traveled a lot, screwed up,
had adventures, got married, worked hard, had fun – it was kind of a nomadic
existence. When I finally decided to finish my degree here, things settled down
for me. By far the best thing that’s happened since I've graduated has been the
opportunity to do work I really love. As the director of social community for
the university, I’m in charge of all of the official UW-Platteville social
media. Not only am I able to engage and build relationships with all sorts of
different people connected to the university – prospective students, current
students, alumni, donors, the greater community, etc. – I get to tell them about
all the amazing people here and all the great work that’s being done. It can be
a tough job sometimes, especially when people forget that there’s a real person
behind our accounts or when I need to work in the evenings or on the weekends,
but it’s so rewarding, and that’s a privilege.
I don’t take that for granted.
4) What are a couple
of your favorite student memories of your time at UW-Platteville?
Because I was a non-traditional student, most of my favorite
student memories of my time at UW-Platteville are all about what I learned in
the classroom. After several years of working to support myself as a writer,
coming back to school was invigorating in a way that changed me – I actually
believe learning again in a university setting altered the pathways in my brain.
I went to three different schools before landing here (yes, three), so I have
enough outside experience to say that the UW-Platteville English Program is just
outstanding. Amanda Tucker, Dennis Ciesielski, Kara Candito, Kory Wein, Terry
Burns, Kathleen Tigerman – they taught me and guided me and pushed me in a way
only the best teachers can. They not only made me a better writer, they made me
a better person, and that’s priceless.
5) Was there
something you had to do here which you felt was a waste of time, or something
that you would do differently?
I don’t really believe anything’s a waste. Every experience
ends up making you into the person you are – especially the experiences that
seem pointless or horrible or both. Did I love Math of Finance? No. Did it help
my brain become stronger? Absolutely. I don’t regret anything about my time
here as a student.
6) Is there a class
or classes that you wish now you could have taken, but didn't? If so,
why?
I wish I could have taken history classes here. My focus was
on graduating as soon as possible, and I was working almost full-time as well,
so I could really only handle my required courses. I love history, so I feel
like I missed something I would have really enjoyed.
7) Can you tell us
about one or two high points of your life since you've graduated?
A high point was being hired here as director of social
community, definitely. Also having my own time again. Going to school and
working was really tough, but it taught me to value and appreciate my free time.
I have more to spend now on my family and friends, and on reading, and that’s
something I’m really grateful for.
8) (If you are a
writer) Do you still write? Can we follow up and interview you for our writing
blog later on?
I do still write, but it’s harder now. I loved the structure
of writing classes, and I really miss the feedback and critiques from my
classmates and professors. I’d prefer not to be interviewed about my writing.
9) Could you ask
yourself another question about something you wished we had asked you about,
and answer it?
“What would you say to people who claim that English degrees
are useless?”
I would say they are so incredibly wrong. I've never been
good at anything other than writing, so there was really no choice for me, but
far more importantly, the study of English – both literature and writing –
teaches you how to think. In our modern age more than ever, this is a critical
life skill. And the ability to write and to communicate well is immensely
valuable in the professional world, whether you’re a librarian or a stockbroker
or a biologist. Doomsayers like to talk about the death of the English language
(take Dr. C’s “History of the English Language” if you want to build up a
treasure chest of arguments against these people), but we are more surrounded
than ever by text. It’s everywhere, and the ability to parse it and craft it
and use it intelligently will get you far no matter what field you choose to
pursue.
10) Where do you see
yourself ten years from now?
If I’m lucky, I’ll still be doing work I love. That’s all I
really want – to wake up excited about my day and to be genuinely committed to
what I’m doing. One thing being here at UW-Platteville has taught me is that I
care very much about doing work that contributes to the world. I may not stay
in higher education, but I definitely want to serve. The good news is there are
a lot of ways to do that.
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