Argomenti trattati
Zach, originally from Broomfield, Colorado, studies as an English major with a concentration in literature and a minor in design thinking. He is known among peers for a steady devotion to poetry and for bringing people together around creative projects. Preparing to graduate this May, Zach describes his time at CSU as a period of experimentation and growth where classroom theory met hands-on practice. His profile blends literary study and collaborative design, and it highlights how exploration across disciplines can reshape a student’s goals and identity.
His academic path was anything but linear. He began in studio arts with an emphasis on photography, shifted to being undeclared, and later sampled health and exercise and data science before settling into English. At one point Zach considered a gap semester to pause and recalibrate, but he discovered that when he had the freedom to write on his own terms, his interest deepened. A close friend already in the English program encouraged him to explore coursework and student groups, which helped him perceive clear, practical possibilities for the degree.
Choosing a major: from experimentation to commitment
Rather than a single defining moment, Zach’s decision grew from a pattern of trying different fields and noticing which activities felt meaningful. He credits the chance to write freely and the supportive messages of classmates with steering him toward a full commitment to English. The decision combined an appetite for textual analysis with an urge to make things—whether poems, event plans, or improv sketches—that connect people. In that sense the major doubled as a method for learning and as a laboratory for testing creative ideas, teaching him how the creative practice of writing can interact with community-focused work.
Academic highlights and a class that changed his perspective
Among many influential classes, Zach singles out E375: Mindfulness Practices and Literacy Tools For Healing a Changing World taught by Professor Cindy O’Donnell-Allen. He describes the course as transformative: it introduced structured mindfulness techniques alongside readings and reflective writing, and it altered his daily habits and approach to literature. The class offered more than literary tools; it taught practices for attentiveness and emotional regulation that Zach applies to both composition and collaboration. He often recommends this course to others because it treats mindfulness practices as teachable skills that enrich personal and academic life.
Creative outlets beyond coursework
Zach channels his classroom learning into extracurriculars such as the Undergraduate English Committee (UGC) and the Rams Improv Comedy Troupe. In the UGC he has contributed to curriculum discussions, helped organize events, and advocated for student perspectives, gaining experience in collaborative leadership and program-building. Improv gives him a lab for playful risk-taking, where an interest in poetry and rule-bending becomes performative and immediate. These dual roles sharpen practical skills—public communication, event coordination, and improvisational thinking—that complement the analytical work of his major.
Skills acquired and advice for future directions
The practical outcomes of Zach’s studies go well beyond reading and writing: he emphasizes gains in critical thinking, creativity, discussion-based learning, and complex problem-solving. The degree trained him to evaluate texts, synthesize ideas across disciplines, and work with other people toward shared goals. He anticipates bringing the creative aspects of his training into whatever he does next, and he values how the program fostered both independent work and teamwork. In short, the English major became a framework for thinking broadly and acting creatively in many kinds of professional and civic settings.
Advice to his younger self
Looking back, Zach’s clearest counsel is to listen to his internal priorities rather than follow external expectations. He notes that many early missteps came from pursuing paths chosen by others, and that greater attention to his own inclinations would have sped his progress. By following the quiet preferences that led him to write and to lead community projects, he found opportunities he hadn’t expected. His advice to high school seniors is simple: trust the internal voice, experiment, and allow creative interests to guide academic choices rather than letting external pressures dictate the route.