Senior Rachael Owen is one of the top dogs in the English department. She’s involved in just about every English related club there is, and recently she went to Minneapolis for the Sigma Tau Delta annual English conference! That’s why we decided it was time to spotlight this shining star and her incredible achievements!
Her Campus: What are you studying right now at Chatham, and what made you decide to study it?
Rachael: I am a double major in English and Women’s Studies, with a minor in Creative Writing. While I have always had a love for literature and writing, it was taking Representations of Race and Gender with Dr. Wardi my first semester that sparked my interest in women’s studies.
What organizations are you involved with at Chatham?
Sigma Tau Delta, The Minor Bird, Creative Writing Club, Beyond the Page Book Club, and F.A.C.E. are the various organizations I am involved with at Chatham as an officer. It can be a bit overwhelming, but I love the many opportunities to share my interests with others and hopefully make an impact outside of the classroom.
What would you like your lasting mark on Chatham to be?
As a first-year, women like Jenny Schollaert and Courtney Druzak had such an impact on me. They are incredibly intelligent women, but also so supportive. I expected college to be highly competitive, but instead I found a community of women that helped me to grow, and I think this mentorship has been so much more beneficial than the competitive atmosphere I expected. It’s a type of community that I think is unique to a women’s college. Especially with Chatham now being co-ed, I hope that I have similarly impacted my peers and allowed this tradition to continue.
Why did you choose Chatham?
After a tour of the University of Pittsburgh my Junior year of High school, my older sister took me to this little school her best friend attended. It was the middle of the night, gently snowing, and the campus seemed completely empty. How could I not fall in love? Of course, my choice was based on more than aesthetics. My sister knew a big school like Pitt was not the place for me, and I’m so happy for it. The little niche I’ve found instead has been the perfect environment for me.
What advice do you have for prospective students making their college decision?
When I started looking at schools, I wanted the opposite of my high school experience–it’s one of the reasons I considered Pitt. I attended a small high school in a rural town, so a school as large as Pitt, sprawled across Oakland, seemed ideal. But ultimately, it was a tiny school like Chatham that was the right fit. Consider the reasons for your motivations, and make sure you look at a wide range of schools, even the ones you wouldn’t normally consider, to make an informed decision.
What would be your dream job?
College professor at small liberal arts college like Chatham. If it could be an all-women’s college, even better. I would love to teach English literature, although I’m also pursuing a Certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies alongside my PhD so that I can teach courses in that field as well.
What are some goals you have for post-grad?
After Chatham, I plan to attend grad school to gain my master’s in literature, and following that, my PhD. I’m very hopeful and excited, as I’ve already received several offers and funding possibilities.
How has Chatham changed your life?
I wasn’t out until I came to Chatham. I think it’s common enough that people don’t discover themselves or come out until they leave home for college, but I don’t think it could’ve been the same anywhere else. As a senior, I’ve been looking back at my transformation over these past few years a lot–the entire process of coming into myself as a queer, masculine-of-center woman. It seems at turns ridiculous that it took so long, but also miraculous that it ever happened at all.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten from a Chatham faculty or staff member?
It’s impossible to pin down the best piece of advice I’ve received, but as I try to do so, my mind keeps turning to Dr. Bruckner. It’s not exactly a single piece of advice, but rather the way she has enabled me to recognize my own intelligence and ability through her guidance these past few years.
What do you love most about Chatham?
It’s impossible to pin down the best piece of advice I’ve received, but as I try to do so, my mind keeps turning to Dr. Bruckner. It’s not exactly a single piece of advice, but rather the way she has enabled me to recognize my own intelligence and ability through her guidance these past few years.
All photos courtesy of Rachael Owen.