MSU senior and English Education major Katherine Subu has started a new job working with the Girls in Engineering Academy, through the Engineering Society of Detroit. We recently chatted with her about the position, as well as her experiences thus far in the English Department.
Describe your experience in the department. What are you studying? I’ve had a great experience thus far with the College of Education. Obviously there are classes that I’ve enjoyed more than others, but now that I’m working specifically towards my major and field of study (English Major for Secondary Ed) I am finding myself in classes that interest and challenge me more than when I was taking my pre-requisite classes. I’ve gained more passion than I thought possible through the influences of a lot of my professors, specially Prof. Zack Kruse (ENG210), who greatly influenced and enhanced my belief in the importance of the education system.
What are you doing now in your current position? I am currently the English/Language Arts Instructor for the Girls in Engineering Academy program through the Engineering Society of Detroit. I teach 8th grade girls fundamental concepts and we are able to explore any additional interests they have in the English subject as a whole. This has been a chance for me to both practice what I’ve learned up to this point, as well as work with students who are as passionate about their learning as I am to teach it! It has been a really fun and rewarding experience thus far.
How did your MSU education help prepare you for this position? My education at MSU has drastically helped me prepare for working with the Girls in Engineering Academy through the Engineering Society of Detroit. Creating a curriculum would have been nearly impossible without the guidance of both my TE and English professors. Another huge aspect is all of the cultural education that has been taught up until this point as I am working with girls of a variety of cultural and socio-economical backgrounds. I’ve gained a lot more confidence in my abilities to teach my discipline because of my time at MSU.
What kinds of experiences, skills, classes training did you receive at MSU that helped you succeed in the job market? The service learning that is required through the TE courses that I’ve taken have done a lot to prepare me for working directly with students. Because of the time I’ve spent with individual students due to these requirements, I’ve gained a lot of confidence and understanding when teaching and communicating in general with the youth. The literary classes that I’ve taken have also helped me come up with a core component to the English aspect of the class I am teaching, as I now understand what is important and relevant to cover with a class in a book we are reading together. I was able to chose a novel that was taught to me in one of my English classes at MSU that really resonated with me, and I am now able to pass that information on to students of my own.
What is most memorable about your time thus far in the English Department? My most memorable moment thus far in the English Department at MSU was one of the last days of my English 210 course with Professor Zack Kruse. He spent the last few minutes of the class explaining how vital and important we are to the future. He encouraged us to embrace our passion for our field and to remember our value throughout the process. I left the class feeling absolutely invincible and 110% convinced that I had done the right thing when I decided to leave my career and instead further my education towards something that I care so deeply about.