Student Profiles

Amy Danzer

"For me, literature is a way to listen to voices from all over the world, to travel through time, to learn about the human experience from vantage points I might not normally have access to. Literature can be a lesson in life, a springboard to almost anything."

Like a character in a deliberately paced novel, Amy Danzer has followed her dream step by step. Eleven years after she graduated from high school, Danzer earned a bachelor's degree in English literature from Northwestern by attending college part-time while working full-time, first in sales and marketing and since 1998 as program coordinator for Northwestern's men's basketball program. Her next goal was a master's degree. "Studying literature at Northwestern lit a fire in me," says Danzer, "and I always wanted to teach. I felt I needed graduate work to prepare myself better for that."

In the MALit program Danzer has indulged her appetite for a wide range of literature in courses such as like Jane Winston's exploration of French depictions of Southeast Asia in film and fiction and Elzbieta Foeller-Pituch's examination of innovative Eastern European fiction. Danzer has also pursued her interest in Russian literature through an independent study course. She is writing her thesis on Venedikt Erofeev, a Soviet-era author she discovered in one of her classes.

Danzer was pleased to discover a strong peer network at SCS - an outgrowth of thought-provoking class discussions. "We get together outside of class to talk about books, our theses, and our careers," says Danzer. "Those friendships and that support are really special and completely unexpected." Danzer says that the MALit program has deepened her reading experience, sharpened her research skills and opened doors to opportunities like serving as a writing tutor. What will be next for Danzer? That chapter has yet to be written.

Frank Keller

Frank Keller had such positive experiences at Northwestern as an undergraduate English student that he wanted to continue his studies on a more advanced level. He also wanted to begin his career as a teacher. So he became certified to teach high school, got a job, and applied for the MALit program at SCS.

Q: So this was a strategic plan for you to continue at SCS rather than study full time at Northwestern?

FK: Yes. SCS provides a flexibility that can fit in to any schedule. It was important to me that I be able to continue my education without starting and stopping my career. I know other graduate students who are in cohort programs, moving from class to class at a designated pace. With my teaching and coaching schedule, I simply would not have been able to do that.

Q: Do you feel you are able to get help when you need it?

FK: There is great support here - sometimes you might have to seek it out, but if you do, there are a lot of people who are there to help you along. All you have to do is ask.

Q: What aspect of the program has been most beneficial to your career?

FK: The opportunity to build a bridge between my SCS studies and my high school classroom. Sometimes I've even been studying a specific text at the same time I'm teaching it, which happened with Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. I was able to play the dual role of student by night and teacher by day, which was very rewarding.

Q: Do your students appreciate the challenge of being presented with college-level topics?

FK: I think so, and I feel that I am able to lead by example, if you will. I demonstrate to them that it's okay to have a lifelong passion for literature and learning.

Paige Conley

Paige Conley was dedicated to getting her master of arts in literature degree in 2004 from the School of Continuing Studies, and one way it showed was in the commute she took on for two years.

PC: I live in Milwaukee, so distance was probably the most challenging thing for me. But there was a lifestyle change that I was looking for, and I felt Northwestern's program would help me achieve that goal. In fact, I was accepted for master's work at Wisconsin–Madison and also at the University of York in England, but when I compared their class choices, Northwestern's offerings were much more alluring.

Q: What led you to take the next step?

PC: Well, I practiced law for about 10 years but I was looking for more intellectual freedom-to be able to embrace different ways of problem solving, and perhaps learn to order the world in a different way.
I thought about it for almost two years. I would get the course catalogs from SCS, and I was always intrigued and fascinated by the courses being offered. My long-term goal was to teach, and this program has been a wonderful stepping-stone.

Q: Do you anticipate teaching right away, or will you continue your studies after this degree?

PC: I don't know yet, but I see myself pretty well prepared to do either.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about study at SCS?

PC: One of the great things about SCS is that there's no ceiling. The faculty are very encouraging. They treat the students with tremendous dignity and respect. It is a very warm and supportive environment. I felt at home here right away.