Two seniors majoring in English at Frostburg State University discuss what they plan to do following graduation.
Lisa Sidley of Augusta, WV already has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology, but has decided she'd like to teach English. Because of the requirements of the MAT or Master of Arts in Teaching program, she will inadvertantly end up with a second bachelor's degree, ths one in English literature. Sidley hopes to begin the MAT program at Frostburg State University in the spring of 2012. Upon completion of the MAT program, she intends to substitute teach until she finds a full-time job in Hampshire County, where she resides. "To be honest, I'm hoping to win the lottery (big) and not have to wait on that day, but hey,we all know better!" Sidley said.
Lindsay Schmelling moved to Cresaptown, MD from her hometown of Lodi, WI to be with her boyfriend, who had been transferred by his place of employment. She also already has a degree from University of Wisconsin in Oshkosh, but her's is a Bachelor of Arts in English. She will need to complete a Bachelor of Science and fulfill the requirements of the MAT program in order to be accepted into it at Frostburg State, which is her goal. "I have taken the Praxis I, although it was about two years ago and in Wisconsin, so I don't know if the scores still count, in which case I will be taking it again soon."
Showing posts with label MAT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MAT. Show all posts
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
FSU Students Plan for the Future
Several Frostburg State University students discuss their various plans following graduation.
Jessie Wismer of Annapolis, MD is a junior studying mass communications. She hopes to work as a staff event planner under and established wedding planning company or through hotel that hosts weddings. Her dream is to eventually own her own wedding planning company specializing in "green practices" and environmental sustainability. She is currently working as an assstant director of special events for the university, as which she and her co-workers handle many university events.
Tavarsha Timmons of Baltimore, MD is an English major and a junior. She intends to enter the MAT program at Frostburg, upon graduation and then hopes to eventually become a professor at a University of Maryland school.
Lindsay Crabtree of Oldtown, MD is an art and design major, with focus areas in painting and illustration and minors in graphic design and art history. The senior plans to graduate in spring 2012 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts is to attend Frostburg's MAT program. She hopes to find a career teaching art in a public school system while pursuing her doctorate. "Some laugh at this 'unrealistic and overly ambitious' statement, but my ultimate goal is to have my masters by age 21, and my doctorate by 23 or 24, and afterwards, have a career in teaching, preferably at the high school or college level, illustrate children's books, editorials, and complete my own children's book." Crabtree said.
Jessie Wismer of Annapolis, MD is a junior studying mass communications. She hopes to work as a staff event planner under and established wedding planning company or through hotel that hosts weddings. Her dream is to eventually own her own wedding planning company specializing in "green practices" and environmental sustainability. She is currently working as an assstant director of special events for the university, as which she and her co-workers handle many university events.
Tavarsha Timmons of Baltimore, MD is an English major and a junior. She intends to enter the MAT program at Frostburg, upon graduation and then hopes to eventually become a professor at a University of Maryland school.
Lindsay Crabtree of Oldtown, MD is an art and design major, with focus areas in painting and illustration and minors in graphic design and art history. The senior plans to graduate in spring 2012 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts is to attend Frostburg's MAT program. She hopes to find a career teaching art in a public school system while pursuing her doctorate. "Some laugh at this 'unrealistic and overly ambitious' statement, but my ultimate goal is to have my masters by age 21, and my doctorate by 23 or 24, and afterwards, have a career in teaching, preferably at the high school or college level, illustrate children's books, editorials, and complete my own children's book." Crabtree said.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Grad School Workshop held as part of English 489
Dr. Lutz's English 489 Capstone class in TH 229 was the venue for a graduate school workshop held last Tuesday morning, though all students were invited to the event, and many took advantage of the opportunity.
Dr. Kevin Kehrwald, Associate English Professor, opened the graduate school workshop held Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 8 a.m. in TH229 by talking about how to go about getting letters of recommendation for graduate school. Most graduate programs require 2 to 3 letters from past professors as part of their admissions process. Kehrwald's advice included giving professors ample time by letting them know as soon as students know they're ready to apply. He advised students to ask for letters in person, rather than via e-mail, and to make sure professors know what you intend to apply for and where. He also implied that it's a good idea to give the professor an addressed envelope with stamp to make the process easier for him or her. "We've all gotten where we are because of letters, so don't be afraid to ask us for them. It's part of what we do." Kehrwald told students.
Dr. Ralph Brewer, Associate Professor of English Education, talked about the Master of Arts in Teaching, or MAT, program. He handed out packets of admissions information, as well as what the course consists of. He told students that the program accepts only approximately 7 to 10 students per year, and that to get in, students will need to submit a writing sample and be prepared to teach an English lesson as they would teach when certified. On becoming teachers, Brewer told students, "Don't expect to go in and be given the best students."
Dr. Jill Morris, Assistant Professor of English, talked about other graduate programs, including that of Rhetoric Composition, in which students study a lot of critical theory. She also advised students thinking about teaching at the college level: "Don't go to grad school where you'd like to teach. It's considered in-breeding for colleges to hire their own PhD's." Morris talked about assistanceships and how they enable students to persue graduate degrees with less debt and more teaching experience.
Dr. Gerry LaFemina, Associate Professor of English and Director of the Frostburg Center for Creative Writing, spoke about studying creative writing at the graduate level. He advised students to never submit anything that hasn't been critiqued by several different creative writers or editors, and that when applying to grad school, students should submit their very best creative pieces as their writing samples and not be afraid to ask creative writing professors for letters of recommendation. "We're all here because people took the time and energy to talk about us." LaFemina said.
During the question and answer part of the workshop, Dr. Morris told students to first apply to the graduate program they're interested in, then send everything required to the department. "Sell yourself," she said, in regards to the personal statement that many programs require. Dr. Kehrwald chimed in by advising applicants to call the schools and follow up to ensure they received everything. Dr. Mary Anne Lutz, Professor of English, and the teacher of English 489 this semester, closed the workshop by advising students planning to go to graduate school next fall to get started recruiting professors for letters of recommendation now. "It's really important to give professors time to write letters," she said.
Dr. Kevin Kehrwald, Associate English Professor, opened the graduate school workshop held Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 8 a.m. in TH229 by talking about how to go about getting letters of recommendation for graduate school. Most graduate programs require 2 to 3 letters from past professors as part of their admissions process. Kehrwald's advice included giving professors ample time by letting them know as soon as students know they're ready to apply. He advised students to ask for letters in person, rather than via e-mail, and to make sure professors know what you intend to apply for and where. He also implied that it's a good idea to give the professor an addressed envelope with stamp to make the process easier for him or her. "We've all gotten where we are because of letters, so don't be afraid to ask us for them. It's part of what we do." Kehrwald told students.
Dr. Ralph Brewer, Associate Professor of English Education, talked about the Master of Arts in Teaching, or MAT, program. He handed out packets of admissions information, as well as what the course consists of. He told students that the program accepts only approximately 7 to 10 students per year, and that to get in, students will need to submit a writing sample and be prepared to teach an English lesson as they would teach when certified. On becoming teachers, Brewer told students, "Don't expect to go in and be given the best students."
Dr. Jill Morris, Assistant Professor of English, talked about other graduate programs, including that of Rhetoric Composition, in which students study a lot of critical theory. She also advised students thinking about teaching at the college level: "Don't go to grad school where you'd like to teach. It's considered in-breeding for colleges to hire their own PhD's." Morris talked about assistanceships and how they enable students to persue graduate degrees with less debt and more teaching experience.
Dr. Gerry LaFemina, Associate Professor of English and Director of the Frostburg Center for Creative Writing, spoke about studying creative writing at the graduate level. He advised students to never submit anything that hasn't been critiqued by several different creative writers or editors, and that when applying to grad school, students should submit their very best creative pieces as their writing samples and not be afraid to ask creative writing professors for letters of recommendation. "We're all here because people took the time and energy to talk about us." LaFemina said.
During the question and answer part of the workshop, Dr. Morris told students to first apply to the graduate program they're interested in, then send everything required to the department. "Sell yourself," she said, in regards to the personal statement that many programs require. Dr. Kehrwald chimed in by advising applicants to call the schools and follow up to ensure they received everything. Dr. Mary Anne Lutz, Professor of English, and the teacher of English 489 this semester, closed the workshop by advising students planning to go to graduate school next fall to get started recruiting professors for letters of recommendation now. "It's really important to give professors time to write letters," she said.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
What Comes Next for Them
All over campus, seniors can be seen working hard to fulfill the demands of upper level course loads. What isn't as noticeable is the work they are doing outside of their classes and homework -- research, filling out applications, compiling portfolios, taking entrance exams -- to determine what their next steps will be. Below, a few FSU English students share, via Facebook, what they plan to do once they receive their undergraduate degrees and their feelings on the process.
Abigail Rawlings of Westernport, MD is a senior English major on the teacher certification track. After graduation, she plans to take the Praxis I and II before pursuing a job teaching middle or high school English. At the moment, she is preparing to begin her internship in which she will observe and eventually student teach in actual middle and high school classrooms.
On graduating and beginning her search for a career, Rawlings wrote, "I have a mix of emotions. It is definitely scary to start a new chapter in my life where I will be responsible for the academic success of many children, but it is also exciting, and I think it will be a great experience and career."
Andrea Lynch of Baltimore, MD is a senior English major with a concentration in Literature planning to graduate in December. Following graduation, Lynch intends to take the Praxis I, a requirement to get into the MAT program. She has already completed her application for the program but will wait until she has the score of her Praxis I to submit it.
Of the process of applying for the program, Lynch wrote: "It could be a little more informational. Maybe it's just the school I'm applying to, but when I call, I get the run-around on who I need to talk to. The answers they give me are just not that informative."
"Unfortunately for the English major with a humble B.A. or B.S. degree, there are not many employment opportunities available to them after graduation. Therefore, most students who major in a humanities program find themselves re-investing in themselves by attending graduate school to supplement their undergraduate degree. I count myself as one of the many who must re-invest in myself to make myself more appealing to to employers because no one will care about Shakespeare's use of puns when an IPO fizzles, the stock market crashes, and unemployment flirts with 10 percent." - Dexter Winkler, Meyersdale, PA.
Winkler has taken the GRE and applied to Frostburg's MBA program and intends to apply to English graduate programs at IUP and WVU. He also plans to take the LSAT in June 2012 and will then apply to multiple law schools. Of the process, Winkler wrote: "From what I've seen so far, applying to grad schools is pretty much the same as applying to undergraduate programs. The only thing that is distressing about it is that fewer students are selected for admissions, so it puts a little more pressure on you to be perfect and polished."
Abigail Rawlings of Westernport, MD is a senior English major on the teacher certification track. After graduation, she plans to take the Praxis I and II before pursuing a job teaching middle or high school English. At the moment, she is preparing to begin her internship in which she will observe and eventually student teach in actual middle and high school classrooms.
On graduating and beginning her search for a career, Rawlings wrote, "I have a mix of emotions. It is definitely scary to start a new chapter in my life where I will be responsible for the academic success of many children, but it is also exciting, and I think it will be a great experience and career."
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Andrea Lynch of Baltimore, MD is a senior English major with a concentration in Literature planning to graduate in December. Following graduation, Lynch intends to take the Praxis I, a requirement to get into the MAT program. She has already completed her application for the program but will wait until she has the score of her Praxis I to submit it.
Of the process of applying for the program, Lynch wrote: "It could be a little more informational. Maybe it's just the school I'm applying to, but when I call, I get the run-around on who I need to talk to. The answers they give me are just not that informative."
------
"Unfortunately for the English major with a humble B.A. or B.S. degree, there are not many employment opportunities available to them after graduation. Therefore, most students who major in a humanities program find themselves re-investing in themselves by attending graduate school to supplement their undergraduate degree. I count myself as one of the many who must re-invest in myself to make myself more appealing to to employers because no one will care about Shakespeare's use of puns when an IPO fizzles, the stock market crashes, and unemployment flirts with 10 percent." - Dexter Winkler, Meyersdale, PA.
Winkler has taken the GRE and applied to Frostburg's MBA program and intends to apply to English graduate programs at IUP and WVU. He also plans to take the LSAT in June 2012 and will then apply to multiple law schools. Of the process, Winkler wrote: "From what I've seen so far, applying to grad schools is pretty much the same as applying to undergraduate programs. The only thing that is distressing about it is that fewer students are selected for admissions, so it puts a little more pressure on you to be perfect and polished."
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