SARAH SPOHN EPORTFOLIO
"Words are so powerful they should only be used to bless, to heal, and to prosper."
ACADEMICS
English Major
Business Administration Minor
Post-Bacc Teaching Certificate Track
"The ability to recognize opportunities and move in new- and sometimes unexpected- directions will benefit you no matter your interests or aspirations. A liberal arts education is designed to equip students for just such flexibility and imagination."
Drew Gilpin Faust
MY EXPERIENCE AS AN ENGLISH MAJOR
english.tamu.edu
BEING CHALLENGED TO THINK AND WRITE
At Texas A&M, I have enjoyed nearly every minute of my English career. Almost always, my professors care deeply about the subject they are teaching which ignites a desire in me to learn and grow in my knowledge of this particular subject and therein my ability to write about it as well. Some of my favorite, most enthralling classes have been: Introduction to Linguistics with Dr. Kendall, World Literature with Dr. Del Negro, Young Adult Literature with Dr. Harris, American Poetry with Dr. Clark, and Women Writers with Dr. Robinson.
CREATIVITY AT ITS FINEST
Grades are not limited to gray scantrons in the English departments. And, in fact, they often come in the form of magnificently creative assignments. In most of my classes, I have written several research paper and taken essay exams in blue books. This enables the student to reach into the depths of their mind to configure their own opinions about information, rather than simply regurgitating memorized information.
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In Young Adult Literature with Dr. Harris, my group and I created a reflective movie with sock puppets to demonstrate our analysis on all of the novels we read that semester. Watch the Puppette on YouTube here.
THE BEAUTY OF COURSE CONTRACTS
My favorite way of earning Honors Credit is through Course Contracts. Typically, I will ask my professor to partner with me in writing a paper that goes into more detail about a subject we covered in class.
Below are some of my most prominent honors research papers, each written with the counsel and critique of my professor:
"Treacherous Legacy: A Look into the Life and Work of Edgar Allan Poe"
"A Deeper Tragedy: Death in Young Adult Literature"
"Rebelling Against the Problem Without a Name"-- exploring the influence of the feminine mystique in both literary and real-world scenarios
"Not Just the Dude"-- an analysis on Eliza Haywood's "Fantomina"
TEACHER CERTIFICATION
Since my freshman year, I have been on the Post-Bacc teaching track, planning to receive my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction after a year of graduate school at Texas A&M.
Click here to learn more about my aspirations in this field and in the future.