TALK TO AN ENGLISH MAJOR

If you're a prospective student interested in becoming an English major, or a current MU student thinking about switching to English, feel free to contact one of our English majors listed below.  Our English major volunteers have agreed to respond to your inquiry within 48 hours when school is in session.

Rebecca Brown is an English BSE major with a minor in Creative Writing and expects to graduate in December 2007.  She is the vice president of Mansfield University Literary Society.  Rebecca is the mother of three and knows how chaotic life can be when trying to find a balance between school and home.  Email Rebecca at brownrj@mansfield.edu.

Joseph Gridley is an English BSE major and a tutor in the writing center on campus.  He expects to graduate in Fall '07.  His areas of interest are American Literature, Nature Writing, and, of course, long walks on the beach. Email Joe at gridleyj@mansfield.edu.

Danielle Muller is an English BA major with a minor in Creative Writing, planning to graduate in May 2008.  Her literary interests include Arthur Conan Doyle, Douglas Adams, Jules Verne, Chinese fables, and works from the Medieval period. Her career goals are working for gaming companies such as Bioware and Pandemic studios, by writing scripts for games, and then branching off to work for a film company.  Email Danielle at mullerd@mansfield.edu.

Ashley Sackett is an English BA major who expects to graduate in May 2007.  Email Ashley at sacketta@mansfield.edu.

Jamie Sweitzer  is an English BSE major who expects to graduate in December 2007.  Following graduation from Mansfield, she hopes to continue on to graduate school.  She is eager to teach English literature and composition on either the high school or college level.  Email Jamie at sweitzej@mansfield.edu.

Amanda Tyler is an English BSE major who expects to graduate in May 2008.  Upon graduation, she would like to teach senior English at the high school level.  She is interested in slave narratives.  Also, she especially enjoys writing research papers and helping others edit drafts. Email Amanda at tylera@mansfield.edu.

Jan Yoder is an English BA major working on her second degree.  A non-traditional student, she received her first degree in May 2003 in Mass Communications with a minor in Creative Writing.  Now she is seeking her English degree to broaden her literary foundation and enable her to find her own “voice” in creative writing.  Email Jan at jyoder@mansfield.edu.

 
 
Library Door with link to Amissions Page about Carreers for English Majors

Nicole Pritchard, English Certification,
currently student teaching.

As a English certification student, I had already received a B.A. from Susquehanna University and a M.S. from Villanova University, both in psychology. I felt that my education was very strong at both of these universities, and I can honestly say that my experiences with my Mansfield professors were equal to, if not better than, my experiences at Susquehanna or Villanova. There is so much knowledge and willingness to share that knowledge in the department, and I enjoyed every minute that I was there. I am currently student teaching, and I have been able to use so much that I learned at Mansfield in the classroom, from teaching techniques that my professors used in the English classroom to actual content knowledge that I can share with my students. My only regret is that I did not have more time to take additional classes from the English department.

Bobbi Button, 2004 English BSE graduate,
currently an English teacher at Williamson High School.

When I enrolled in the English BSE program I wanted a degree. Once in the program, I found a challenge that empowers one to transform the love of literature and language into a passion for the art of teaching. The program became my tour guide on an exhilarating journey to a career. I never felt pushed, obligated, or neglected. I was given the freedom to explore public education, while analyzing and embracing my love of English. There is no other place where I could feel comfortable enough to voice my opinion, strong enough to defend it, and still be given the freedom to realize that I was wrong all along. Simply put: I learned a lot. It's really tough to describe. It's almost like giving birth: it wasn't painless, but it was worth every ounce of energy spent. There were so many seconds: second guesses, second drafts, second placements, that I had no choice but to reach for first. As a graduate of the BSE program I feel prepared to teach, yet I also feel the desire to continue learning. The program is a powerful challenge that is rewarding. It taught me what I needed to know: there is always more to learn.