Entries tagged with ‘English’

Dr. Martha Ndakalako

“From Young Namibian Reader to Gustavus Professor of Comparative Literature – Listen to the Learning for Life Podcast” Dr. Martha Ndakalako joined the Gustavus English Department in 2021 and talks in this episode about growing up in the De Beers mining town of Oranjemund in Namibia, her early love of reading, her “complicated” (aka interesting) path to […]

Houston McLaury ’25

“Whether you’re a part of a beginner course in a specific discipline, or you’re jumping into a course with expected knowledge in it, both professors and students are kind and welcoming of different perspectives.” Growing up going to the library often and having a passion for storytelling and creativity, an English major was the natural […]

Vatuazenj Vang ’26

“The atmosphere of the community here is very relaxed and sociable.  The learning community is generous and thoughtful.” With a strong passion for fictional writing, Vatuazenj has always known that English was the subject of study that most interested him. However, after coming to Gustavus and questioning his future career plans, he decided to focus […]

Patrick Stonecipher ’24

“Personally, Gustavus and the department helped me land some very neat camera internships via Handshake.” Originally planning on a major in Biology, Patrick quickly switched his major after beginning his first film class, and is now glad that he made this choice. Since becoming an English major with an additional individualized major in Film Studies, […]

Lexi Combs ’23

“The professional relationships I have cultivated with my advisors and professors are ones that I hope to maintain throughout my career.” Lexi has always known that she enjoys reading and writing. However, she discovered her true passion for literature during her first English class that she took at Gustavus, entitled “American Women Writers”. Since then, […]

Isabella Delwiche ’25

“The professors in the English Department are the absolute best. They have so much knowledge to share and they make learning such a joy.” Isabella Delwiche, from Milwaukee Wisconsin, is a Secondary Education major with a Communication Arts Literature (CALT) focus. She chose Gustavus primarily for its Education Department and the campus community.  She chose […]

Ellie Hartmann ’23

“The GWSS faculty have helped prepare me for a career by actively opening up opportunities for me to get involved with resume-building work like research and internships.” Ellie Hartmann, a native of Waconia, Minnesota, pursued her passion for English at Gustavus due to the comforting feeling that studying the subject gave her; she also shared […]

Megan “MJ” Johnson ’18

“In rejecting the ‘have to’ script, I have become the change I wished to see in myself.” The first year was a bit of a rough start for this first-generation college student. “I came to Gustavus feeling like an incredibly serious student. I felt like there were things I had to do, like study communications […]

Mula Lay ’22

“All you need is a microphone to make a podcast. And some editing software. And some stories. And a student champion with a great voice for radio.” His first major was computer science. But like so many Gusties before him, Lay questioned his first choice when the poetry and stories he was writing were competing […]

Matt Rasmussen ’98

“Studying And Writing Literature Felt Superfluous Like a Hobby. At Gustavus, I Learned It Was My Passion.” I was a hockey player jock in high school, and I wanted to play in college. When I applied to Gustavus, I included a poem in my application. I don’t know why. Maybe I thought I wasn’t smart […]