Meet this week’s Campus Celebrity, Keara Hozella! You may know her from the Gender Studies office, her dedication to the Writing Center, her wonderful work at the Voice or just because she is truly one of the kindest people Bloomsburg University has to offer! Read more about here below!
Hometown: Pine Grove, PAMajor/Minor: English Major with a Gender Studies MinorYear: SeniorRelationship status: Happily taken
Her Campus: What activities are you involved in on campus?Keara Hozella: I’m a second semester Writing Consultant at the Writing Center, the Arts and Entertainment Editor for The Voice, and I’m one of two Gender Studies Minor Work-Study Students. Whew, that one’s a handful to type!
HC: How did you become involved with The Voice?KH: I got a very enthusiastic email from the then-features editor. His excitement, along with my desire to copy-edit and write all over the articles, enticed me to join the newspaper. I just moved up the ranks from there, and am definitely enjoying my time as A&E editor.
HC: Do you feel pressure to keep up on pop culture and entertainment being the A&E Editor?KH: Yes, I do feel pressure to keep up-to-date with the latest trends in pop culture and entertainment, although sometimes I drop the ball a bit. I always try to watch awards shows like the Grammys and the Oscars, though, because those are big entertainment events. I am also pretty biased, and follow my favorite shows and celebrities more closely than just the general celebrity gossip. I’m currently obsessed with “Chuck,” “Scandal,” and as always, Gerard Butler.
HC: How has working at the Writing Center changed the way you approach writing?KH: Being a tutor at the Writing Center has changed the way I personally approach writing, and also how I help others with their papers. The Writing Center allowed me to adopt a more descriptive view of language, whereas copy-editing for The Voice lent itself to more of a prescriptive view due to time constraints and other issues. Working in the Writing Center has made me a more patient person with my own writing and others’ writing processes. I also take a training class every semester for the Writing Center, and that helps me to view my thoughts and other people’s thoughts and writing methods in a more compassionate light. The Writing Center has taught me that there isn’t one single specific or right way to approach writing, and that’s been an invaluable realization for me.
HC: Has being the Gender Studies work study student exposed you to any experiences you would not have had otherwise?KH: Yes, being the GSM Work-Study Student has exposed me to a plethora of new ways of looking at the world through taking the classes as a GS Minor, and by working in the office. I get the opportunity to put together the annual GSM “Gazette” every semester. Last year, I interviewed Anna Monardo, the author of “The Courtyard of Dreams.” That interview was a fantastic experience for me, and it wouldn’t have happened without Dr. Asya’s guidance and my position.
HC: What has been the most rewarding experience of your time at Bloomsburg so far?KH: There are too many rewarding experiences to list here…but being in a place where I get to express my love for literature every day, talk to like-minded (and also my favorite) people, get my ideas published, and help others with their writing is so gratifying for me.
HC: While graduation isn’t nipping at your heels quite yet, do you have any post-grad plans or goals?KH: You’re right; graduation isn’t here quite yet for me. I can’t tell you if that makes me happy or upset, though. It’s a combination of feelings. I do have tentative plans to attend grad school for something in the English track, but there are pesky issues in the way, like taking the GREs, applying to schools, and getting my writing sample presentable, all while managing to stay sane and graduate from Bloom.
HC: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?KH: I see myself living a happy life, full of laughter, literature, and coffee — all while being surrounded by my loved ones.
HC: What is your dream job?KH: I would absolutely LOVE to be a “professional reader” for a living. If someone would pay me to read books in which I was interested all day long, I would sign up for that job in half of a heartbeat. But alas, that kind of job does not exist, especially with those exact prerequisites. The closest I can get to that type of learning is by continuing my education and hopefully becoming a professor, where I’ll get to learn, write, and grow from my students’ discussions, all while being surrounded by literature every day.
Favorite……place to eat on campus? Starbucks…song of the moment? I don’t ever get sick of John Mayer’s “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room,” even though it was released in 2006.…book? Currently, it’s Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway. My answer to this question is subject to change from week to week.…class taken at Bloomsburg? Dr. Borlik’s Shakespeare class…way to relax? I love curling up in bed with a book that’s not for my classes. I also love playing soccer—when the weather allows it.…quote? “Live life as you choose, so when you look back many years from now, you can say it really was all worth it.” This is a quote from my best friend’s graduation speech in high school, Sarah. It’s stuck with me all of these years. I always refer back to it when I feel panicky about my life choices.