I initially came to Ashland University as an Integrated Language Arts Education major. I soon realized that Education just was not my passion and was not right for the eighteen-year-old version of myself. However, I will never regret this decision, as within this major, I was able to find my passion and appreciation for literature and writing. I changed my major to English my sophomore year and added Creative Writing as my minor soon after.
This program and department have been so beneficial to me and have helped me picture where I want to go. Not only did I meet literatures of all kinds, but I also got to know some of the most supportive and kindest people I have ever met. I must shout out Dr. Waterman, who not only stepped into the role of being my professor and academic advisor, but also went above and beyond. I will never forget the conversations we had my senior year after class when she was my biggest support system, motivating me to keep going and doing my best. These conversations that I had with her and several of my other professors truly helped shape me into the motivated, goal-driven woman I am. I thank all of my professors in the English department for your expertise, and all of your hard work that helped get me where I am now. As a first-generation student born to immigrant parents, it means a lot to be this close to graduation.
Through my major, I have also had the wonderful opportunity to work as an intern for the MFA Creative Writing program for a year. Some of my fondest memories from this past year are from the summer residency, where I was not only exposed to writers who have similar dreams as me, but also to some of the most supportive people that I am lucky enough to now call my friends. This experience was so beneficial that I have decided my next step will be to join the MFA Creative Writing program family as a student this summer. I will be focusing on nonfiction, and am confident that my skills will get infinitely better.
After I graduate with my Bachelor's in English, I plan on attending the MFA Creative Writing program, working on my writing skills to achieve my goal of becoming an author of many nonfiction works, including my memoir that I am currently writing. At the same time, I plan on working in administrative jobs to broaden my experiences and see what all is out there for me, and where all of my interests lie.
Reagan Morse
I have greatly enjoyed my time in the Department of Languages and Literatures, and after reflecting, there are so many positive memories that come to mind. The courses I took throughout my time in the department are definitely up there in my favorites for a variety of different reasons. One of my first exciting experiences was during my sophomore year taking Dr. Mondal’s African American Lit and Global Lit courses. It was during these classes when I truly felt like I had found my niche in writing literary criticism. As we read The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri and The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, I began to truly feel like a writer. I tackled challenging and unique ideas in my essays and remember feeling genuinely proud of myself. This was just the beginning of my career in the department.
As I continued my journey through the department, the sense of pride in my work only grew. I remember feeling such accomplishment in my success in quite difficult classes like Dr. Donatini’s English Grammar and Usage and 17th-Century Literature. English Grammar and Usage felt more like math than English at times, and even though it was in English, I felt like I needed to translate 17th-Century Lit before doing any actual analysis most of the time. I also always loved and appreciated Dr. Waterman’s way of encouraging us to embrace the complexity and confusion of classic American texts like Slaughter-House Five. I have thoroughly enjoyed the way the Department of Languages and Literatures constantly challenged me.
After graduation, I plan to continue the job search for a position teaching English in a middle or high school classroom in the Columbus area. I am currently student teaching in a middle school ELA classroom in Westerville, OH, and I love it! However, I do really miss being on campus enjoying the beautiful spring weather, and I certainly miss being in Bixler Hall every day.
Sarah Yeaste
I’ve always known that literature had the key to my heart, but it was never fully unlocked until I joined Ashland’s English and Creative majors. I have made many lifelong friends and connections I will cherish forever. It didn’t feel like simply getting an education, it felt like you were part of a community where professors and students cared about your personal growth and development. It is sometimes hard to foster a community built on genuine kindness and wanting everyone to succeed, but the Department of Languages and Literatures pulled that off. The English professors I’ve had the privilege of working with over the years took me under their wings and helped me to create the person I am today. I’d like to thank all of them for how much they have impacted who I am and my life in general.
The English program brought me into diverse sets of literature from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen to Hunger by Roxane Gay to Life of Pi by Yann Martel. The pure variety and diversity of the texts we engaged with helped me to really blossom not only as a reader but also as a writer. I was able to study different writing styles in-depth while also branching out from my normal go-to reads. I learned that I really enjoy writing fiction through Dr. Sundberg and the workshop courses I have taken with her. I learned that I love analyzing difficult texts and looking for the “text’s view” from Dr. Weaver. I learned that literature can be anything we want it to be, and that is what inspires me to this day.
I have had so many opportunities to gain valuable work experience through the department such as working for the Black Fork Review, an online publication, working as a Senior Communication Coach at the Writing and Communication Center, and working as an intern for the Ashland Poetry Press. I’ve learned that writing and literature are the things that keep me going, and I’m so thankful that Ashland gave me the opportunity to take root in that and bloom.
