Courtesy of Kate Gross
What empowers you in your work?
I am empowered by the women who raised me to find the career path that impassioned me most and to plan for the likelihood of that changing when I was young (and it did!). And I am empowered by my daughters, who already believe women can take up space as they please and follow their curiosity to its fullest. I want that to always be true for them.
Did you always want to be a professor?
I've known I'd be a teacher since, upon reading Little House in the Big Woods, I made my little sister a makeshift one-room schoolhouse. But I've always especially wanted to work with readers and writers. Ultimately, I realized my love of higher ed after a series of publishing and writing jobs.
How do you get over difficulties that arise?
I work with mentors and peers to understand setbacks. And I love inviting my students to help figure out what's working, what's not. When I allow students to drive their own learning, their own classroom, it's rare that I find challenges we can't solve together.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
I love working with students to shape their own learning and especially their own writing. Watching someone have a breakthrough or reach a deeper level of engagement with their world through writing, that's what keeps me excited in the classroom.
How did you get into the world of Media Writing?
I've written for the media and as part of the media for nearly a decade, so teaching the subject is a real welcome home for me.
Did you always like to write?
Here's a paradox: While I don't always like to write, I have also always loved writing. We all have our days.
What advice do you have for students who want to get into your profession?
Oh, the soundest advice I've ever retained is from poet Mary Oliver, "Let me keep my distance, always, from those who think they have the answers."
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