Name: Caroline Dadas
Position: Acting Chair of Department of Writing Studies at Montclair State University (MSU), Coordinator of Professional and Public Writing Minor
Degrees: BA, English (University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana); MA, Writing (DePaul University); PhD, Rhetoric and Composition (Miami University)
Clubs/Programs You Advise/Created: Professional and Public Writing Minor and is on the steering committee of the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Program
- Professional and Public Writing Minor (PPW): The PPW at Montclair is in its fourth year and is now a part of the Writing Studies Department. I was able to develop the curriculum soon after I arrived at MSU. I had a background in digital composition, which helped us create the minor.
- Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Program: In particular I teach a variety of classes that focus on LGBTQ histories and theoretical approaches.
What brought you to Montclair State?
I had never been to New Jersey before. I had preconceived notions about what it was like. But I applied for the “Assistant Professor of Writing Studies” job. When I had my on-campus interview, I thought the school and area was lovely, vibrant and dynamic. I also loved being so close to the city.
I knew I wanted to work with the colleagues I met that day. The program [I was applying to] had a lot of different classes I could teach. A lot of times you’re filling a department niche [and teaching] the same classes over and over again, but that wasn’t the case here. I’ve been at MSU six years. I’ve taught about 15 different classes which is something I enjoy, because everything stays fresh. For me, MSU was the full package I was looking for. It’s become an even more dynamic environment now that we have the new Department of Writing Studies – a department that is focused on my specialty.
What does your typical workday consist of?
Part of why I like this job is that there is no typical workday. I didn’t know this [job] is what I wanted to do when I was in school, but I had my eye out for a career that would have a day-to-day variety.
This semester I only teach one class, because I am the acting department chair. Usually I teach three courses, and that preparation takes time. The writing classes also require me to give a lot of feedback. For the PPW minor I also meet and advise students to stay on track, meet requirements, and graduate on time.
Part of my job too, is to publish in my field. It’s hard to research during the semester. I work on this bit by bit, like presenting at conferences and getting articles published. It takes a long time, and I chip away at it little by little. I do most of my writing over breaks and summer.
What kind of topics do you write and publish?
I look a lot at social media usage, such as how people use social media to participate in civic and political processes. One of my recent topics is hashtag Activism, and what kind of goals people have when using and creating hashtags with political purposes. I research what people get out of social media and how they interact with one another.
Anytime you do digital research, there is so much content out there to get a good grasp of, and is changing so quickly, that it can be overwhelming. This constant evolution is also what interests me. Social media as a topic also has popular appeal. People can relate to what I am researching.
Was teaching at the collegiate level a career/goal you planned for?
I was an English major and I loved it. I found it deeply satisfying. But at the same time I wasn’t as prepared as I could have been for the transition into the working world. I didn’t know what the next step was. I came from a family of teachers, so I thought this was the next step. I taught middle school for 5 years. It was gratifying and I was fond of it, but I knew that this was not the career for the rest of my working life.
My principal at the time recommended going for my Masters. My Masters taught me about the field of writing studies, and I felt like, “Oh, okay,” and everything fell into place. Focusing on writing made sense to me, and I learned more about being an academic. I took it seriously and talked to my professors and as I applied for my PhD, it was a good fit for me.
What undergraduate (or graduate) experiences helped you the most in your life, personally or professionally?
I had amazing mentors. Illinois had 45,00 students, but I felt like my professors were accessible, especially for classes in my major. I felt like I could talk with them about career paths. For me, I was weighing a teaching job versus being a literature academic. My professors were honest with me about what the career paths looked like.
What is your greatest accomplishment?
Honestly I think of my greatest accomplishment in terms of the kind of personal connections I’ve made. One of my life accomplishments is graduating with my PhD because it’s allowed me to make meaningful connections with students. It opened the door to meeting interesting colleagues and people who support and challenge me.
What advice do you have for women entering the workforce?
I have these conversations in the Women’s Studies Program, that sexism is still a real thing and it has real consequences. For one, looking at how women are paid, with the pay gap. Second, for women sexism is something that you need to be cognizant of, and refuse to be silenced or pushed aside in the ways that still tend to happen.
Sexism isn’t as blatant as what you see on Mad Men. Yet you still, as a professional women, find yourself in settings where a man thinks its okay to talk over and interrupt you. You have to be ready for that sort of thing, and figure out how you’ll handle that.
I think it is equally important to talk to men about sexism. Which is why I love it when I have men in my Women’s Studies classes, I usually have quite a few. It is important how men can be allies.
What advice would you give to undergraduates at Montclair?
It is perfectly normal not to know what you’ll do with your of life at age 20.
College is the opportunity to explore different options. When you’re done [with college] you realize that opportunity doesn’t present itself again, such as the exposure to different areas or easily accessible expertise.
Also think, “If this is my major, how is it going to translate to the working world?” This was part of the motivation for our starting the Professional and Public Writing Minor. We wanted to offer students opportunities to practice and refine the kinds of writing that they will have to do once they leave college. So I guess the ideal for a student is to balance exploration of options and also have an eye toward the future and how you can prepare yourself. The Department of Writing Studies, with the Professional and Public Writing Minor and a forthcoming writing major, can help students do this.
What is the greatest adventure you’ve been on?
I went to Spain for Spring Break when I was in college. That was wonderful. I had a friend who was living in Granada, Spain. I went and we explored, and that was the moment I realized I should have studied abroad. I’ve been to France a couple times since then, both for professional conferences. [Traveling] stretches you in important ways. I’m a creature of habit, so [traveling] gets me out of my routine.
Favorite author/novel?
When I was in college I was into Walt Whitman. He continues to resonate with me. Contemporary wise, I just finished reading Swing Time by Zadie Smith. It traces two young girls who aspire to be dancers through 20 years of their relationship. One girl is a little more gifted than the other, so they end up going in different directions. This resonated with me as an authentic portrayal of close female relationships. How you can have a close relationship as a kid, but that relationship ebbs and flows over time.
Words you live by:
My general philosophy is to think about how I can help others. What is my role with helping people be their best selves? If I’m someone’s teacher, it’s not about me delivering content to them, and now they have it. It’s what can I do to facilitate their development as a thinker and writer?
What do you stand for?
I feel passionate about students receiving the best educational opportunities that they can. Connected with that, I see a lot of interest on campus with social justice issues. I think that’s part of the college experience. Now as a faculty member, facilitating opportunities for students to be involved in social justice initiatives that they can carry forward after college is important.