1) What year did you graduate and what was your area of emphasis?
2006 - English
2) How did you wind up working at UW-Platteville after graduation? (And/or) What is it like teaching in the program you attended as a student?
After going to graduate school, I returned to UW-Platteville to finish my teaching certificate. Several people nudged me to pursue work here as a writing instructor and I was happy to do that. As an alumnus I am really familiar with the infrastructure of student services here, so I already know where to send my students if they are having trouble and where to go myself if I need help. More importantly, returning here to teach is a lot like coming home: I know a lot of the faculty and support staff well from my days as a student, and I feel comfortable talking shop with them, working with them, or asking for their advice whenever I need it.
3) Could you tell us a little about the paths you’ve traveled since you graduated?
Since I graduated, I've been a pizza delivery guy in Dubuque, a door-to-door alms-seeker for the Public Interest Research Group, a customer service representative, a graduate student at the University of Minnesota, and a yoga instructor/counselor at a fitness camp. It's been a trip %^)
4) What are a couple of your favorite student memories of your time at UW-Platteville?
I have dozens of favorite memories, but I'll mention six to keep this relatively short:
* The trip to the Iowa Poetry Festival (sponsored in part by the English Department) - I got a chance to read my poetry on a student panel and hear Billy Collins (then my favorite poet) read his work.
* Freshmen Composition II - Getting into a protracted discussion with Dr. Ciesielski about the definition of "nature" that culminated in a research paper. I learned to engage with academic writing and discourse as something living, evolving, and participatory not just as a litany of observations passed down from the ancients.
* Shakespeare - Dr. Hadorn, Shakespeare, and a group of brilliant classmates made for some really fascinating and engaging discussions which prepared me for graduate studies.
* World Novel - Dr. Stipe created an great atmosphere for discussion and the class was consistently engaged in good, fruitful discussions that made me really appreciate being an English major.
* French Club - From working the games at Carnaval/Fasching to caroling in French and German at the retirement community, French Club was replete with fun, fulfilling, and heartwarming ways of interacting with French and German language and culture while mingling with the Platteville community.
* Aikido Club - Aikido Club is a martial arts club headed up by Therese Waugh. She's a perfect teacher for this non-violent martial art, someone who embodies the principles that she teaches and conveys them patiently to her students. Therese's teaching style has cultivated a rare and sensitive group of students who I deeply enjoyed learning with. Rarely have felt so at peace and so at home as on the mats in UW-Platteville's Aikido Club.
5) Was there something you had to do here which you felt was a waste of time, or something that you would do differently?
Many of the writers on this blog have observed that we learn important lessons from the difficult or frustrating parts of our life, and, hopefully, we apply these lessons and teach them to others. One of my mistakes as a student, both as an undergraduate and a graduate, was prioritizing grades above learning doing what I loved to do. It's taken me internalize the idea that grades aren't as important as the experience and skill I developed by following my passions. Fortunately, my best teachers, my friends, and my own impulses often got me to focus on learning, thinking, giving, and living fully and I left UW-Platteville with great memories and valuable experiences as a result.
6) Is there a class or classes that you wish now you could have taken, but didn’t? If so, why?
Though you don't need a map scrawled on yellowed parchment to find it, I have heard the geography program is one of this university's hidden treasures. I wish I had taken greater advantage of it.
7) Can you tell us about one or two high points of your life since you’ve graduated?
Living at a co-op style apartment with people from different corners of the globe (and a couple of dogs) in a diverse St. Paul suburb was pretty cool, as was attending graduate school at the University of Minnesota. During the last five summers, I also really enjoyed the opportunity to work at Wellspring, a fitness camp for kids and young adults.
8) (If you are a writer) Do you still write? Can we follow up and interview you for our writing blog later on?
I am a largely fallow poet: I write a fair amount for my students these days (handouts, instructions, rubrics), but not very many poems. I have found that the best way to overcome the inertia of not writing is to put on my favorite music, set aside a half an hour, and just write without judging it and without expecting (or aiming to create) profound or amazing work. Though I don't think writing can be forced, I think repeatedly creating the conditions under which lightening will strike encourages my own writing process.
9) Could you ask yourself another question about something you wished we had asked you about, and answer it?
What are the greatest things about UW-Platteville for writers?
2006 - English
2) How did you wind up working at UW-Platteville after graduation? (And/or) What is it like teaching in the program you attended as a student?
After going to graduate school, I returned to UW-Platteville to finish my teaching certificate. Several people nudged me to pursue work here as a writing instructor and I was happy to do that. As an alumnus I am really familiar with the infrastructure of student services here, so I already know where to send my students if they are having trouble and where to go myself if I need help. More importantly, returning here to teach is a lot like coming home: I know a lot of the faculty and support staff well from my days as a student, and I feel comfortable talking shop with them, working with them, or asking for their advice whenever I need it.
3) Could you tell us a little about the paths you’ve traveled since you graduated?
Since I graduated, I've been a pizza delivery guy in Dubuque, a door-to-door alms-seeker for the Public Interest Research Group, a customer service representative, a graduate student at the University of Minnesota, and a yoga instructor/counselor at a fitness camp. It's been a trip %^)
4) What are a couple of your favorite student memories of your time at UW-Platteville?
I have dozens of favorite memories, but I'll mention six to keep this relatively short:
* The trip to the Iowa Poetry Festival (sponsored in part by the English Department) - I got a chance to read my poetry on a student panel and hear Billy Collins (then my favorite poet) read his work.
* Freshmen Composition II - Getting into a protracted discussion with Dr. Ciesielski about the definition of "nature" that culminated in a research paper. I learned to engage with academic writing and discourse as something living, evolving, and participatory not just as a litany of observations passed down from the ancients.
* Shakespeare - Dr. Hadorn, Shakespeare, and a group of brilliant classmates made for some really fascinating and engaging discussions which prepared me for graduate studies.
* World Novel - Dr. Stipe created an great atmosphere for discussion and the class was consistently engaged in good, fruitful discussions that made me really appreciate being an English major.
* French Club - From working the games at Carnaval/Fasching to caroling in French and German at the retirement community, French Club was replete with fun, fulfilling, and heartwarming ways of interacting with French and German language and culture while mingling with the Platteville community.
* Aikido Club - Aikido Club is a martial arts club headed up by Therese Waugh. She's a perfect teacher for this non-violent martial art, someone who embodies the principles that she teaches and conveys them patiently to her students. Therese's teaching style has cultivated a rare and sensitive group of students who I deeply enjoyed learning with. Rarely have felt so at peace and so at home as on the mats in UW-Platteville's Aikido Club.
5) Was there something you had to do here which you felt was a waste of time, or something that you would do differently?
Many of the writers on this blog have observed that we learn important lessons from the difficult or frustrating parts of our life, and, hopefully, we apply these lessons and teach them to others. One of my mistakes as a student, both as an undergraduate and a graduate, was prioritizing grades above learning doing what I loved to do. It's taken me internalize the idea that grades aren't as important as the experience and skill I developed by following my passions. Fortunately, my best teachers, my friends, and my own impulses often got me to focus on learning, thinking, giving, and living fully and I left UW-Platteville with great memories and valuable experiences as a result.
6) Is there a class or classes that you wish now you could have taken, but didn’t? If so, why?
Though you don't need a map scrawled on yellowed parchment to find it, I have heard the geography program is one of this university's hidden treasures. I wish I had taken greater advantage of it.
7) Can you tell us about one or two high points of your life since you’ve graduated?
Living at a co-op style apartment with people from different corners of the globe (and a couple of dogs) in a diverse St. Paul suburb was pretty cool, as was attending graduate school at the University of Minnesota. During the last five summers, I also really enjoyed the opportunity to work at Wellspring, a fitness camp for kids and young adults.
8) (If you are a writer) Do you still write? Can we follow up and interview you for our writing blog later on?
I am a largely fallow poet: I write a fair amount for my students these days (handouts, instructions, rubrics), but not very many poems. I have found that the best way to overcome the inertia of not writing is to put on my favorite music, set aside a half an hour, and just write without judging it and without expecting (or aiming to create) profound or amazing work. Though I don't think writing can be forced, I think repeatedly creating the conditions under which lightening will strike encourages my own writing process.
9) Could you ask yourself another question about something you wished we had asked you about, and answer it?
What are the greatest things about UW-Platteville for writers?
The professors and their willingness and availability to
help students. One of the clear advantages about Platteville is the
student's ability to get personal help from their professors. Working
closely with my professors on my major papers helped me improve my writing and
my ideas in ways that would not have possible if I were working alone.
10) Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
Teaching. Not sure who, not sure where, but teaching.
10) Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
Teaching. Not sure who, not sure where, but teaching.
No comments:
Post a Comment