Meet: Robing Emmons
April 17, 2024
Graduate program: M.A., English with a concentration in creative writing (poetry)
Hometown: Pembroke Pines, Florida
Why did you select your major(s) and minor(s)? Were there any experiences that convinced you to declare?
I received my BA in English with a concentration in creative writing from Oklahoma State University. I chose to pursue a master's in English with a focus in creative writing to expand my knowledge of elements of craft. Additionally, I made this decision to teach and develop my own pedagogical background before pursuing a career in higher education.
What is your favorite course you have taken from your program(s) and why?
Both ENGL 830A, Shakespeare in the Mediterranean, and ENGL 967, Modern Fiction & Globalism, share the distinction as my favorite course in the program. In ENGL 830A we read several works by William Shakespeare that gave me a newfound appreciation for his work and the context which he wrote in that I could have never imagined. In ENGL 967 we focused on contemporary writers like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Zadie Smith, and others with a focus on the global text, what that means for us as readers/consumers and also as writers. Which is to say, the class made me think in ways that I had never before in discussions that were lively and significant to my interpretations from texts.
Who have been some of your strongest mentors or role models here?
Since my arrival at the university, I have been supported in my research and creative writing by several members of the English faculty including Professor Grace Bauer, Dr. Kwakiutl Dreher, Dr. Amelia Montes, Dr. Julia Schleck, and others. I am very grateful for their investments in my growth as a writer, teacher, and scholar.
