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I believe the most unique aspect of the English department at Northwest is the ever-encouraging faculty. Their passion for teaching has allowed me to reach a level of education that would have been otherwise unavailable to me had I gone to another institution. For example, Dr. Jeff Loomis has helped me by providing guidance with research, reading texts, and being audience to personal life concerns. I've been able to grow as a student and as an individual through my experiences in this department. Not only have I become a better student, but I have also become a better individual through the practical and life lessons taught in my classes.
A love for languages is what led me to study Spanish and English Education at Northwest. I was so excited to find others who shared the same interests. There are opportunities in and out of the classroom that push students outside their comfort zones and help them reach their goals. The workshops led by faculty to prepare for the licensure tests that education majors must complete were a highlight for me, a true testament that they were willing to help me do the best for my future. I am so excited that my degree in Spanish Education from Northwest will help me to lead students like myself to find their interest in languages and discover all the benefits of studying them.
I’m so happy I followed my passion and chose to major in English at Northwest. I love this university, and I especially love our English Department! The students and faculty are absolutely wonderful, and I feel lucky to have met such great people. All the teachers I have had do everything they can to help me be successful, in the classroom and beyond. I’ve also really enjoyed my involvement with Sigma Tau Delta, the English Honors Society. My experience with the English Department at Northwest has changed my life, and I’m so glad I found my place here.
My experience in the Department of Language, Literature and Writing at Northwest has been truly life-changing. Each professor I've had the pleasure of taking classes with is so invested in what they teach and in teaching it well. Worlds – literally and figuratively – have been opened up for me because of them. In Dr. Nancy Meyer's and Dr. Richard Black's American Lit courses, I began my relationship with Henry David Thoreau and my fascination with Modernist American literature, which continues to enrich my life. In Dr. John Gallaher's Writing for the Professions, I learned how to format professional writing. In Richard Sonnenmoser's Theory of Creative Writing, I delved into story writing, discovering the art of subtext. Paco Martinez, Karen Detrixhe, and Dr. Eric Dickey have all been essential to my understanding of, and proficiency in, the Spanish language. During a process of immense personal growth and maturation over my college career, I've also advanced academically, and that is thanks, in large part, to the professors who have challenged me along the way. They've helped me lay the groundwork for skills I'll use my entire life: ability to analyze and think critically, persuasive power, editing know-how, and excellent communication skills.
Although I did not come to Northwest Missouri State University as an English Education major originally, I found where I belonged when I set foot in my first General Education English course. I was always afraid that loving the way that language feels when coming out of a pen, my mouth, or the pages of a well-worn book was just a hobby, but the English Department at Northwest helped me actualize that it was so much more. Whether it is creative writing, historical contexts, teaching, or linguistics an English Degree from Northwest is an amazing asset. What set the department here apart from other universities is the instructors’ willingness to help students in any way there is. They are never timid consulting another professor who may have more knowledge in that particular field or helping students work through a variety of problems. The open door policy that Northwest has does wonders when wanting the advice of or help from a professor. I cannot wait to impart the knowledge the English Department Faculty has given to me on the High School students I will hopefully be teaching. I know that this department has helped mold me into a participant in my field and I am so grateful. I choose this school because many of my family members are Alumni but I choose this department within this school to make my college experience my own.
When I came to Northwest, I knew I would be pursuing a degree in English, but what I didn't know is that I wouldn't be alone in doing so. I wasn't aware that an entire faculty would be working just as hard right alongside me to help me reach my goals. The resources, availability, feedback, and general knowledge of the English Department staff are a big reason why I've excelled in my classes. Not only are the instructors in the classroom teaching the courses, but they are advisors for numerous organizations, like Sigma Tau Delta, or editors for GreenTower. The opportunities available for English majors are immense, and I've been lucky enough to broaden my knowledge and apply what I've learned in my coursework in Sigma Tau Delta and interning at The Laurel Review with GreenTower Press.
The Department of Language, Literature and Writing was the place I turned to after I realized that my education was not forcing me to ask the questions that really mattered to me. Questions of identity, of cultural context, of what responsibilities come with our status as rational agents: these are the matters that students and professors in the department take up with energy and enthusiasm. And I emphasize the word “questions.” For the most attractive thing about this department, aside from the unforgettable people that I have met in it, is that it never once offered to give the answers. Rather, it helped me, as a student, to learn something very important: it is not the answers we give that define us, but the questions that we ask. Whether one is entering into a discussion with Virginia Woolf and Emerson, or seeking to understand another culture through a foreign tongue, in this department one will find a deep and rich discourse that is always pushing inquiry further than one thought it could be taken. Michael graduated from Northwest in 2014.
"My love for books and writing enticed me to major in English. I have learned so much from each professor I have had the privilege of studying under. The diversity of available courses has ensured that my classes are never boring. At the same time, I have learned about a variety subjects connected with English, such as history." Brittiany graduated from Northwest in 2010.
"Being an English major at Northwest has helped me to achieve a profound level of self-knowledge and a better understanding of the world in which I live. I have connected with authors on the pages of their books, despite their distance from me in time, and I now better understand the human condition. Writing, too, has given me the opportunity to share my deepest thoughts on life, emotion and society with others, establishing that same connection with those who choose to read my work." Tyler graduated from Northwest in 2010.
"My passion for the study of English is fueled by my curiosity about life. Life is a complex combination of our physical, emotional and spiritual human experiences paired with our imagination, reason and logic. Life is full of objective truths that lead us as individuals into subjective discoveries. For me being a part of the English department at Northwest has been fulfilling to my curiosity. The literature studied mimics the intricacy of life. When we study greats works we learn more than just how to write, read and analyze well; we learn about the whole human experience. What is particular to the Northwest English department is the encouragement each student gets to participate in learning through discussion. Also, each professor is unique in his or her style, approach and demeanor. This all unifies beautifully in expanding our acquirement of knowledge and understanding, while spurring us on towards further delving into our curiosities."
"The students and faculty in the English Department are very supportive. They've helped me improve and given me the confidence I need to continue on to a Master of Fine Arts program in Creative Writing after graduation." Cristy graduated from Northwest in 2009.
I've always been fascinated with the art of writing. I am a writer myself, but coexistent with that I am a reader. The field of English allows me to explore both. Studying English is so much more than simply writing papers about books. In English, I learn about cultures, human behavior, history, philosophy, art, and how they all are combined into thought provoking, wildly entertaining works of great literature.
I didn't want to attend a school too far away from where I grew up. Of all the universities in the state of Missouri, I feel that Northwest Missouri State University provides the best undergraduate education in the field of English. From the first semester of my Freshman year, I was taking classes with knowledgeable and inspiring professors. Outside of the classroom, I've had valuable opportunities to learn and grow by being involved in Sigma Tau Delta, the English Honors Society, and by tutoring in the Writing Center (see picture). My experience with the English department at Northwest has been extremely fulfilling." Barry graduated from Northwest in 2009.
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