A double major in English and Philosophy, Anna Skarupa is in her third year at CSU and studying creative writing. A lifelong writer from Phoenix, AZ, she hopes to publish her work one day and is excited to explore marketing as a career path. Below, learn more about Anna and her experience at CSU and in the English department.
Q: Tell us how you got here! Why did you choose to study English at CSU?
A: I chose CSU because I fell in love with the campus, and I chose English because writing is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I did not really look up the faculty here at CSU or the opportunities here and I think that allowed me to experience the wonderful surprises that is our English department. Such as our amazing faculty, Greyrock Review, and the Creative Writing Reading Series.
Q: What do you love about your major?
A: Writing and reading are two of my biggest passions, so naturally I love English for letting me have a chance to write and read great works. But what I really love about English is the community. I don’t know what it is about this program, but I make most of my friends in English classes, not to mention I still keep in touch with my professors. Everyone in the department is so friendly and supportive.
Q: What classes have you enjoyed?
A: My two favorite English classes are E341 Literary Criticism & Theory and E407 Genre Bending. Both are taught by amazing professors (the English department is notably warm and welcoming). I love E341 because it really expanded my mind to new ideas and it truly felt groundbreaking; I know there were days where our entire worldview was shifted. In E407, we focused on comedy in the 18th century, and it was fascinating talking about sex, power dynamics, and what is considered funny especially in the context of 18th century plays.
Q: What kind of opportunities have you been involved in through your program?
A: I did the Summer in Oxford program, an education abroad experience that is about six weeks long. Oxford was a really good experience for me; it allowed me to explore adaptation theory, and it made me more resilient to change. Living in another country even for a short time was hard, but it was also wonderful, and I am so grateful that I was able to study abroad.
Q: What skills have you gained that will help you beyond college?
A: I think critical thinking, and effective, clear communication have been very valuable. Also being able to write is a huge skill. I know we live in a world with AI, but honestly, I think writing yourself is so much better because it comes from you and you can compose every word to be as impactful as possible.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about the CSU English community?
A: How supportive everyone is. Also, I think 80% of students are really funny, and the professors treat you more like a peer than a student, especially in the upper-division classes.
Q: If you could go back, what advice would you give yourself as a high school senior?
A: I think I would tell myself to go to office hours more often!
Q: Looking ahead to post-grad life, what career path(s) are you interested in pursuing? What excites you about the future?
A: I want to find a marketing job, which might sound like it doesn’t fit English, however English as a major teaches you how to best reach and communicate to an audience, and I think the skills we learn really do apply to marketing. That said, I am most excited to find time to write and maybe even publish someday.