Graduate school sounds scary at first. You’re not sure what to expect, or what’s expected of you. When I entered the MA program in 2018, I felt a mixture of apprehension and fear, but those feelings soon dissipated when I met and began working with SSU’s stellar English faculty. Simply put, SSU offers world class mentorship in an intimate setting to students looking to hone their literary skills and find meaningful futures in the study of English. Their guidance in matters of research and intellectual cultivation led me to craft a thesis project that earned me my first two conference acceptances in 2020. Since graduating, I have worked alongside my thesis committee, Doctors Anne Goldman and Kim Hester-Williams, in the ambitious pursuit of the elusive PhD acceptance. As Fall 2021 approaches, I am happy to say that I’ve received offers from several schools around the country and will begin pursuing my doctoral degree later this year. I am firm that this could not have been achieved without the constant support and mentorship of trusted SSU English faculty members. To them, I am eternally grateful for the mentorship I needed to achieve what once seemed an impossible goal.
The future is bright. I am looking forward to further cultivating my work in Black cultural studies as a PhD student, and continue to work on my creative writing. As I mull the exciting opportunities awaiting me, I am working on a short story collection probing themes of feminism and apostasy. Without a doubt, the opportunities offered by SSU, both creative and academic, have irrevocably, and positively, changed the course of my life.