Chelsea Embree '14

Describe your path since graduating from Knox.

I worked as a reporter at the Lewiston Tribune for three years. Then for two years, until this past May, I worked as a research librarian at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories in Washington. Now, I'm studying for my master’s in literature and cultural theory at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. 

How did your Knox education prepare you for your career?

The liberal arts education at Knox is fundamental to being able to think critically and question everything, both of which are necessary to survive in this digital era. The interdisciplinary emphasis at Knox really helped me transfer my knowledge. So, even though my areas of emphasis in creative writing were poetry and creative nonfiction, I've been able to apply my knowledge about writing to produce business intelligence reports and organizational action plans. 

Why did you decide to go to graduate school?

I had been thinking about going to grad school for the past three years because I really value education and feel most at home in communities of people who all love talking about the same books. I get to experience a level of intellectual enrichment that's unique to academia, because I'm taking classes and teaching. After less than two months in the classroom, though, I know that this is for sure what I want to do with my career. I always insisted that I would never be a teacher but now, here I am, very much looking forward to getting my Ph.D. and teaching at the college level!  

How have your experiences at Knox impacted your life?

I'm particularly grateful for the time I was able to spend with Professor Monica Berlin. I took her poetry and creative nonfiction writing workshops, and they really helped me recognize how valuable it is to get someone else's eyes on your work. Monica's classrooms have always been safe spaces for students to take risks with their writing. She also makes herself very available to students, and I've really appreciated the times I've sat with her to talk through things. Without a doubt, Monica and her classes are a big part of why I want to be a writing professor. I also have to thank professors Brandon Polite and Rob Smith. Each of them wrote me a recommendation letter for my graduate program, so I would not be here without them.