I love that I can tell my students that they never have to make up their minds once about who they want to be or what they want to be doing with their lives. I can do that because I’ve changed directions and careers along the way as well.

I won’t go on and on about how much I loved books and what writing meant to me growing up—I realize that that can be inferred by my current educational and career choices. I love teaching writing. To me, it’s one of very few jobs that allow you to really contribute to a person’s future and truly open doors. It's not teaching a subject. It's helping someone to see themselves and the world differently.
 

I graduated college with a bachelor’s degree in Economics ten years ago. Knowing even before graduation that neither my gifts nor my talents lie in numbers or graphs, I pursued work in communications. I spent about five years working in an issues oriented PR firm where much of my rhetorical and writing aptitudes were utilized well. Looking for a deeper focus on writing and language than on budgets and bottom lines, I moved on to a position as an editor/writer for a small nonprofit organization that worked with public schools and their communications strategies.
 

These transitions were what made me pause to think about what it was I really wanted to do. All throughout, I had maintained opportunities to teach—through mentoring opportunities and teaching/tutoring through community organizations. My interests in writing/teaching and desire for making a deeper impact made the next step delightfully obvious and a little bit terrifying. It meant leaving a steady job and career path to go back to school and begin a trek down a whole new path. I have the fortune of being able to say that this new journey has been rewarding and exciting in ways that could not have been expected.



I believe deeply in the mission of the community college to grant opportunities and overcome inequities, but also realize the challenges that lie in that great work. Teaching basic writing to students who are struggling to overcome personal, socio-economical and political hurdles is what I plan to dedicate my education and experience to in the coming years.