Major: English
Minor: Korean
Faculty Shout-out by Professor Steve Rachman:
“Samantha Yu is an excellent student who took a course with me on the intersection of Literature and Medicine. She wrote an excellent, searching paper on literature, surrealism, and the disruptions of normal life that came with COVID-19 pandemic, and another paper on The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and the ethical issues surrounding HeLa cells that have emerged with modern uses of human tissues. She also produced a remarkable creative project of a drawing of a patient in a hospital bed that emerged in fuller detail in time-lapse form. It was beautiful and poetic. Samantha did fine work and I wish her success in all things to come.”
How would you describe your time as an English or Film Studies major at MSU?
I love being an English major. The professors in the College of Arts and Letters are some of the most kind, passionate, and interesting people I’ve ever had the pleasure of being taught by. I chose my major freshman year and it never changed because I enjoyed the program so much. Being an English major allowed me to keep doing the things I love in university, and I’m so thankful for that!
Which classes, instructors, or experiences particularly stand out for you and why? How did they prepare you for the next phase of your life?
For me, I loved taking literature classes with unexpected interactions. For example, I took a class about literature and medicine, and another class about climate fiction. I guess I was surprised by the diverse number of classes the English major had to offer, and I think taking classes like those allowed me to expand what I know, how I think, and how I approached other classes, subjects, and aspects of my life. The classes I took, and the instructors I was impacted by, grew with me from freshman to senior year, and I consider each experience equally valuable in preparing me for wherever life takes me next.
What advice would you give future English or Film Studies majors, based on your experiences in the department?
Like I mentioned before, some of the most rewarding moments for me were making connections between ideas. The advice I would give is if you have multiple interests, look into having a double major or even just a minor. The classes I took for my Korean minor were my absolute favorite. The professors, my classmates, and the Korean department’s events were so interactive, fun, and welcoming! I would definitely recommend everyone to explore other areas they are interested in, especially because all of them can intersect well with an English major.
What coursework-related projects were/are you working on this year, and what interests or excites you about them? (capstone courses, honors thesis, independent studies, etc.)
Right now, I’m working on my first full length research project for my capstone course. It’s centered around the Victorian novella The Half-Caste, and it has been a semester long endeavor to write a 15-page literary essay. I’ve really enjoyed the longer writing process, and while I wasn’t originally interested in Victorian literature, working on this project has definitely piqued my interest. I’m excited to produce the polished version of the essay by the semester!
What are your hopes and aspirations, post-graduation?
Post-graduation, I plan to attend law school after taking a gap year. Right now, I’m interested in entertainment media law or international law, and I am going to apply to law schools locally and internationally. I also want to do more travelling!