Major: English, Education as a Social Science, Creative Writing Certificate
Why did you choose English as your major?
I chose English as my major because I loved to read and write in High School, and wanted to hone my craft in creative writing and essay writing.
What did you like most about it?
The feeling of community created by my fellow writers. As you move through the major, you start to see familiar faces and hear familiar voices in lectures and in your writing classes. I ended up forming a small writing group that would meet regularly to workshop whatever we were writing at the time. The friends I made in class would end up being some of my closest friends and longtime collaborators!
What is your current position, what do you, and what do you enjoy most about it?
I am the Assistant to the Dean at Mason Gross School of the Arts – my favorite part about my job is connecting with other artists from across the disciplines.
What was your first job after Rutgers and how did you get it?
My first job after Rutgers was with the English Department! I provided administrative support for the Plangere Writing Center and managed the Plangere Culture Lab, providing instructional support to faculty and students in multimedia composition courses. I saw the posting on the Rutgers Jobs page and applied – thankfully, I got the position and worked there for four years.
How did you move from that first job to your current position?
While during my time as a staff member at the English department, I studied for my Masters Degree and took professional development courses. My work experience, plus my time as a graduate student, helped propel me into my next position.
Looking back, what classes or experiences at Rutgers would you point to as contributing to your successes?
While I can’t pinpoint any one particular class or experience as the contributor to my success, I can say that the English department’s support in finding me an internship with the Writing Centers really helped me solidify my feeling of belonging at English. My work as a writing tutor also helped me get a job at the English department years later. However, I would argue that my varied experiences across the writing disciplines made me a more robust writer and a better professional, as you learn different skills through different classes.
What advice do you have for our current Arts and Sciences students?
Try everything! Take a creative writing class, write in a genre you’ve never written before, incorporate the arts in your everyday life, and be open to collaborate with others! The more connections you make now, the better off you’ll be in the professional world.