Senior Spotlight: Kelsey Diggs

Kelsey Diggs is a double-major in Theatre and English on the Creative Writing track.

Why did you decide to become an English major?

I come from a big family of readers, so books and writing have always been a part of my life. When I was thinking about what I wanted to study, it just seemed like the natural path for me. I appreciate the English major because it keeps me reading - if I wasn't taking English classes I probably wouldn't have time to do any reading, but being assigned books to read for my classes has allowed me to make space for that important part of my life. I chose Creative Writing because I love using words and language to exercise my creative side, and I feel like I've discovered a lot about my interests through my writing classes.

What clubs, campus groups, internships, outside of class projects have you been involved with?

I have been a member of Sigma Tau Delta, an international English Honors Society, since the Spring semester of my junior year. In the fall, I became the Secretary of UMD"s chapter of the organization - it's been a great way to meet other English majors and have space to talk about common interests. I've also performed in seven productions with the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies as a theatre major. I feel that my studies in English have helped me better understand and analyze plays so that I can build realistic characters. Additionally, I have served as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant (UTA) for two semesters now, and I've assisted in two different classes within the Professional Writing Program. It's been an amazing experience to be a UTA - I learn so much from my students, and I love being able to work closely with faculty members.

What skills have you gained from the English major?

My writing skills have matured in the English major, both professionally and creatively. I've been so lucky to get so much one-on-one feedback from my professors, and I'm proud to say that I'm graduating with a good sense of my writing process. I also feel that the English major has exposed me to more diverse perspectives; it wasn't until college that I realized how limited my reading lists were in high school, and the faculty here really pushed me to explore works written by people with different backgrounds.

What is your dream job or career?

My dream job would be to teach at a school like UMD someday while also working on my own projects, both academic and creative. Being a UTA in the English department has solidified my love of teaching, and I think it would be valuable to be continually learning from students while putting my own work into the world.

What are you passionate about (or even curious about)?

The majority of my work overlaps with Women's Studies, which I hope to eventually get a graduate degree in. Academically, I've been writing about how women are represented in media (primarily fiction, film, and television) and what this says about feminism in today's society. Creatively, I've been exploring the potential relationship between magic and the menstrual cycle - this semester, I've workshopped two short stories that explore this connection and other themes such as gender, socialization, and religion.