Reflections of an English Major
- by Marie Hain ‘20 -
When I tell people I am an English major, many express some form of surprise. “I didn’t know College of Saint Mary offered that” and “What do you hope to do with that?” are typical responses. I smile as I explain that College of Saint Mary does indeed have a strong English program and articulate why I decided to get my undergraduate degree in English.
I chose to attend CSM because of the school’s reputation for providing a Catholic liberal arts education. I was also drawn to the all-female environment and the emphasis on building students’ confidence and leadership capabilities. I also liked the small class sizes and the fact that my professors and fellow classmates could know me personally, not just as another student.
When I first enrolled at CSM, I knew that the English program itself was small and that there weren’t many other students majoring in English. This did not deter me. I knew I wanted to major in English because I like to read, write, edit, and learn about language and because I wanted a versatile degree that could take me into a variety of career paths.
Once I started my English classes, I was delighted to discover the quality that was present in the program. My two main English professors, Dr. Shannon McMahon and Dr. Amy Knox Brown, were quite knowledgeable, had an array of different experiences and loved teaching. They led engaging in-class discussions, and I was always excited to go to their classes and come away with a deeper understanding of reading or writing.
My freshman year, I enrolled in a creative writing course. I had never taken a class that focused solely on the creative side of writing before, so I didn’t know quite what to expect and was a bit nervous. After I dived into the content, which centered on short stories, I found that I really enjoyed it. We learned about the basics of effective story writing and then wrote some short stories ourselves. The classroom always had a fun, positive ambience, and it was definitely a class that has helped and will continue to help me write and evaluate stories.
One of my favorite English classes was a course about Shakespeare. Personally, I love reading plays by William Shakespeare, so I was excited at the thought of taking a class devoted to the iconic playwright. We covered six plays in depth. Some were new to me and with others I was already familiar, but I enjoyed all our in-class discussions because there was always something new to take away from Shakespeare and his masterful language.
In the fall of 2019, I took a journalism class called news writing and reporting. It was the first time CSM offered the course and also my first time being in one devoted to the journalistic aspect of writing. The class taught me a lot about how to present news information in writing, and I really enjoyed hearing the perspective of the instructor, Scott Driscoll, who works for the Omaha World-Herald and has experience in the news industry.
Perhaps one of the things I most enjoy about being an English major at CSM is my role as editor-in-chief of the Saint Mary’s Review, CSM’s literary journal. CSM began publishing the Saint Mary’s Review, which is a collection of short stories, essays, poems, and artwork from students, staff, faculty, and alumnae, four years ago. I have had the honor of being the book’s editor for the past three years. The process of making the Saint Mary’s Review is part of a class called Literary Editing, so each year I have the assistance of the other students in the class and Dr. Brown, who serves as the instructor and the faculty advisor. Putting together a book is always challenging, but it is so incredibly rewarding to see the talent that’s present in our CSM community!
I am now getting ready to graduate this May. While I am excited to enter this next stage of my life, I know I will look back with great fondness at my time at CSM. Being an English major here has taught me not only about reading and writing but also about the importance of communicating effectively and working well with others. Thanks to College of Saint Mary, I have grown academically and personally in my studies and as a leader and feel well-prepared for life after graduation!
*This is a special feature included in the Winter Issue of College of Saint Mary's JOURNEYS Magazine.
