Meet the Graduate Students

Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, including undergraduate programs in English or other disciplines. While some have recently completed their undergraduate work, many are returning students hoping to energize their craft, switch careers, or pursue their passion for language, literature, and writing.

Some of our students grew up and attended college in the Midwest; others have come from across the country or from overseas to study at K-State.

You can find out more about some of our graduate students below. If you'd like to contact a current master's candidate to hear more about the program from a student's perspective, please email gradeng@ksu.edu

Name: Delaney Sullivan

Year: 2

Track: Children’s Literature

Hometown: Camden, Delaware

Academic Interests: Young adult literature, feminist studies, gender studies, multi-cultural children's literature

What had been the best part of your experience here?: Learning from other graduate students. While learning to teach and adjust to graduate school can be difficult, the welcoming attitude and helpfulness of the cohorts make it so much easier. Socially and academically, the other English department graduate students are always there to help and create a community.

What makes K-State’s M.A. in English so special?: The professors at K-State's M.A. English program are unmatched: their achievement in their field, their teaching expertise, their educational experience, and their unwavering support of their students are unlike anything you will find in any other graduate program. Because of them, graduates from K-State's English M.A. program are superb scholars and teachers, making my experience here truly special.

Name: Kinsley Searles

Year: 2

Track: Composition and Rhetoric

Hometown: Topeka, KS

Academic Interests: Indigenous rhetorics, fat rhetorics, embodied rhetorics, video games as texts, writing center studies

What had been the best part of your experience here?: The best part of my experience in K-State's M.A. program has undoubtedly been the people. From professors to fellow graduate students, I feel genuinely cared about in both my academic and personal life. The K-State English department is a tight-knit community that actively encourages and supports your growth as a student. I have been connected to presentation and conference opportunities from my very first semester. This is because those around me know and care about my research interests and my professional goals. Ultimately, the people within the department make K-State's English M.A. a deeply cultivating and positive environment.

What makes K-State’s M.A. in English so special?: K-State's M.A. in English is special because of its unique community, but that is not the only aspect that sets it apart from other programs. Personally, I chose K-State for my graduate studies because of its combination of learning and teaching opportunities. Teaching is such a valuable skill-- even if you do not plan on continuing on a teaching path. Working with undergraduates provides a new level of understanding in your own studies. In addition, the diversity of courses and tracks creates an environment where you are free to explore many different academic interests!

Name: Fereshteh Majdi

Year: 2

Track: Cultural Studies

Hometown: Mashhad, Iran

Academic Interests: Gender and Women's Studies, Cultural Studies

What had been the best part of your experience here?: Working with award-winning and supportive faculty has been the best part of my experience, as they have given me the freedom to work on my own academic interests with their close mentorship.

What makes K-State’s M.A. in English so special?: This program is unique in its structure that goes beyond traditional boundaries. Being part of this program, where differences are embraced, has given me a chance to further my academic knowledge of English in a more community-based manner where graduate students are given personal attention throughout their path.

Name: Eli Long

Year: 2

Track: Cultural Studies

Hometown: Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Academic Interests: Cultural Studies, Horror Studies, and Film and Media Studies

What had been the best part of your experience here?: The cohort! My fellow M.A. Students have made the experience at K State far more enjoyable. The first year cohort is very close knit, helping with any problems or questions I could possibly have.

What makes K-State’s M.A. in English so special?: K-State's M.A. program is so special because of the care and attention given to the students. The faculty clearly takes genuine interest in seeing their students succeed, allowing them to study subjects interesting to them.

Name: Milena Beliso (Mila)

Year: 2

Track: Literature

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Academic Interests: experimental literature, meta-textuality, contemporary and post-modern poetry, and Ecriture Feminine.

What had been the best part of your experience here?: The best part of my experience at K-State has been getting to know the amazing staff and students. They have made me, as a distance education student, feel so welcome and accepted.

What makes K-State’s M.A. in English so special?: The unique work that comes out of K-State in the realm of children's literature, makes pursuing an M.A here so special. To see children's literature not only be legitimized but uplifted through the incredible writing and research here is something I'm proud to have witnessed during my time here.

Name: Maggie Steuer

Year: 2

Track: Children's Literature

Hometown: Mattawan, MI

Academic Interests: My Academic interests mostly focus on the idea of womanhood and girlhood through children's literature, and how the idea of what is expected from women and girls has changed through adaptations, specifically through the Nancy Drew series.

What had been the best part of your experience here?: One of the best parts of my experience here has been the overwhelming support I have received. This semester I ended up accidentally falling and breaking my hand, and I have never received so much help and understanding in my academic career so far. Whether it be helping me type or making sure I have classes covered when I have to go to appointments, or even just checking up on me both the faculty and my fellow grad students have helped me through the entire process of healing. This of course, extends to other aspects of my time so far here other than a major bone break as well.

What makes K-State’s M.A. in English so special?: What really sets K States MA program apart from others is the community of both other grad students and professors. This MA program has helped me to not only create professional relationships, but also helped me to create connections between my own research and the research of others.