Reflections
English has been an academic strength and a passion of mine for as long as I can recall. It seems silly, looking back, that I wasn’t a declared English major when I came into St. Norbert College, but it found its way into my college career after insistence from a professor my first semester, and I am eternally grateful. Studying literature allows a person to be the most empathetic version of themselves— it allows them to live a thousand different lives similar or completely different from their own. This is what I adore most about the English major at St. Norbert College. We are constantly asked to be in conversation, whether with a text from centuries ago or with others gaining more interpretations and perspectives. Outside of classes, I participated in other conversations, too— from poetry readings, to career panels, to celebrations. English has taught me how to write essays, do research, create, yes. English has also taught me how to be a person, how to learn from the past, how to express myself most truly.
Signature Work
Conference Paper
Signature Work- Conference Paper
This is my most impressive essay work, in my eyes, to date. Written in spring of 2025 for Literary Theory, this paper is the result of blood, sweat, and tears, usually prompted by T.S. Eliot. It is the first time in my academic career where I chose to write about a text that I did not enjoy, but it was incredibly rewarding to write- almost cathartic. It combines novel ideas and intertwines them with historical and psychological research. It demonstrates my writing style particularly well for a structured research essay, amalgamates a huge text and copious research without feeling weighty, and has a strong throughline and thesis.
Other Works
Edition of Sonnets
Sonnet Edition
Completed as a final project for my Renaissance course while abroad in fall of 2025, this edition of sonnets shows incredible attention to detail. In it, I translated, edited, and glossed a series of 4 poems chosen by me specifically for their shared theme to create a cohesive edition for a specific audience. All choices made were up to my discretion.
Adaptation Project
Adaptation Project Justification
This essay reflects the intentional choices behind the creation of a touch-and-feel children’s book based on a Mark Twain story. It details the thought process behind my decision to adapt a short story in this way, taking into account audience consideration, faithfulness to the original story, and logistics of the adaptation. It was completed for a final project in the American Short Story course, Fall of 2025.
Comparative Essay
Macbeth and Othello Comparative Essay
Completed in Fall of 2023 in my Shakespeare course, this essay juxtaposes the impact of violence in tragedies from the perspective of two famous Shakespeare plays. It explores what factors contribute to a more evocative or emotional tragic ending, and how the titular characters of each work play their roles.