RC Senior Awards 2024

Hometown: East Lansing, MI

Degree/Major: Computer Science

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? Following graduation I will be pursuing a Master of Science in Computer Science and Engineering here at the University of Michigan. During my stay I hope to continue my research regarding compilers and intermediate representations.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I am proud of surviving my Freshman year here during Covid, probably couldn't have done it without intensive Spanish.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to thank Sandra Nuñez, Olga López-Cotín, Wendy Gutierrez-Tashian, and everyone involved with the Intensive Spanish program for fostering my Spanish education. Their guidance in the Readings classes in particular introduced me to new manners of thinking and opened the door for my engagement with Spanish literature.

Hometown: Ferndale, MI

Degree/Major: International Studies, Spanish

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? Following graduation, I will be attending Ross School of Business to complete my Masters in Business Management. After completing the program, I will be pursuing a career in marketing and public relations.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I am most proud of my perseverance during difficult times and my dedication to finding a place for myself.

Anyone you'd like to thank? Thank you to the RC Spanish faculty for their support, and to Cristhian for his nomination.

Hometown: Grass Lake

Degree/Major: B.S. in Linguistics, German, and Earth and Environmental Science

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? I hope to be at Hunter College in New York studying Animal Behavior and Conservation for my Master's degree. I would eventually like to obtain my PhD to conduct research in ecolinguistics where I hope to continue emphasizing the importance in language both in humans and other species.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I was very proud of the fact that I came in with no prior knowledge of German, simply a desire to learn as many languages as possible. Through the RC, I learned a lot about the language and was excited to learn more. I decided to major in the language and now I get to travel abroad this summer and bring my German education full-circle in a span of 4 years!

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to thank my sister's for always supporting me and helping me through all of my rough times. I would also like to thank my friends for reminding me to enjoy my time in college and giving me plenty of opportunities to enjoy myself!

Anything else you'd like to add? I'm a first gen student!

Pronouns: she/her

Hometown: Big Rapids, MI

Degree/Major: Sociology

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? I will be working in a law office as a legal assistant and research clerk. Throughout the next year, I'll also be applying to law and graduate school programs to begin pursuing both a JD and PhD in Sociology.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I am most proud of my senior honors thesis in Sociology. This project pushed me to grow as a researcher, student, and individual in unimaginable ways. I am incredibly grateful for my advisor, professors, and those who participated in my study-- who so kindly shared their stories with me, and without whom none of this work would be possible!

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to thank Olga Lopez-Contín, Wendy Gutierrez-Tashian, Christhian Espinoza-Pino, Sandra Nuñez, and the entire RC Spanish Department for their incredible encouragement and support; I learned so much about the Spanish language, the world, and myself through their courses. I also thank Charlie Murphy for his continued guidance and profound kindness these past three years!

Hometown: Hartland, MI

Degree/Major: History, German, and International Studies, Minor in Music

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? I am currently researching and interviewing for jobs that focus on international politics and relations, as well as for jobs involving German or Germany in some capacity. In the next few years, I hope to find a position that combines history, German, and international studies and allows me to live in my interests.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? My study abroad to Tübingen, Germany through U-M takes the cake for my most proud accomplishment. I was pushed into an unfamiliar land with a different culture and different customs, and I managed to navigate government bureaucracy, banking, insurance companies, and classes, all in a foreign language. I also made some great international friends!

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to thank my parents, Bill and Kim Markby, for supporting me through, especially these last four years. College can be extraordinarily taxing mentally and financially, and they have stood by my side throughout all of it. I would also like to thank Dr. John Pasquale and Dr. Richard Frey for my time in the Michigan Marching Band. They are incredible and compassionate leaders who have curated a home for many students such as myself.

Anything else you'd like to add? I am a proud member of the Michigan Marching Band Trumpet Section. Go Blue!

Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan

Degree/Major: LSA - Computer Science

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? Following graduation, I will probably stay in the United States to work in software engineering industry. I would also hope to learn more Japanese and maybe work at Japan one day.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I am most proud of learning Japanese from beginner level to almost passing N1 level within two years. It surely brings me confidence every time I speak Japanese with fellow students and teachers.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I want to thank my sensei Tomoko Okuno for providing a lot of resources and teaching me, and all of my fellow Japanese learner friends that give me a lot of help and practice. I also want to thank the entire RC Japanese Department, and all the other teachers and friends I met in LSA.

Anything else you'd like to add? Although I study computer science, I love Japanese culture and speaking Japanese with people. If it is not for learning Japanese, I wouldn't be able to have such a fun college life! I appreciate all the people I met and all the activities I attended!

Hometown: Rochester, MI

Degree/Major: PiTE and German (B.S)

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? This summer I'll be doing an internship for USGS in Troy, NY. After that I hope to travel to Germany and continue using my German :)

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I'm proud of my time in the RC because I made great friends here and had wonderful professors who made my time here memorable. Attending U-M has been transformative and I won't forget it.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to thank Karein and Carla in the RC German program because they made my freshman year enjoyable during COVID and helped me cultivate my German skills during my time at U-M. The trips to the Arb were a highlight of my RC experience and I'm so grateful to have had them as professors.

Anything else you'd like to add? I would love to thank all my friends and my family for supporting me through my journey at U-M and in the RC. I'm so grateful for everyone who has helped me get to this point :)

Hometown: Rochester Hills

Degree/Major: FTVM

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? I plan on continuing my musical journey with my bands, Luna Pier and Blue Florence, as well as hoping to find work in recording studios, live shows, musicals, and composition where it may present itself.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? The diverse opportunities I’ve been able to pursue through the strong interpersonal connections made here at the RC— from starting a band with my freshman EQ roommate, to discovering I love playing in a pit through working with RCP and NERDS and on to MUSKET.

Anyone you'd like to thank? The arts are inherently collaborative— so I am always appreciative of opportunites to thank everyone who has worked with me on any creative project, particularly though, this year I want to thank my lifelong friend Tristan Wilson for inspiring me and writing our debut opera together.

Hometown: Mt. Morris MI/Luther OK

Degree/Major: Double Majors in Creative Writing and Literature, and Communication

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? I hope to find myself, fully realized as a person. As I write stories, I continue to want to help others write stories, and discover what stories mean to them. Rather that be through joining literary communities, being apart of a larger culture, or simply reaching out.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I'm most proud of the people that I got to meet. I felt not only enamored by their capabilities as professionals, but seen through the representation that wasn't being given to me. Shout out Christopher Matthews and Aisha Sloan.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to thank a friend of mine that didn't make it. You were so special, and you deserved everything.

Anything else you'd like to add? We Real Cool by Gwendolyn Brooks (see below)

We Real Cool by Gwendolyn Brooks

We real cool. We
Left school. We

Lurk late. We
Strike straight. We

Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We

Jazz june. We
Die soon.

Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI

Degree/Major: Spanish Major, RC Urban Studies Minor

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? I will be in Rome, Italy working on my creative and technical skills while applying to graduate schools. I plan to pursue a Masters of Architecture after my gap year.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I'm most proud of my development as an artist and designer especially through the RC Studio Arts and through the Taubman College pre-Architecture program. I've improved my abilities but also learned how to use my art to convey a message and express myself.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to thank Toby Millman, for introducing me to the RC Arts and for always pushing me get the most out of myself. She has been a great support to me and a role model for a career in the arts.

Anything else you'd like to add? I'm looking forward to traveling with friends and family this summer and spending lots of time outside!

Hometown: Arlington, VA

Degree/Major: Classical Languages and Literature (focus in Latin)

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? Next year I'll be doing a Master's at the UofM School of Education, aiming to become a middle or high public school Latin teacher.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? Within the RC, I'm proud of all the music I've made with my many chamber groups over the years and the friendships I've made through those groups. Within the university at large, I'm proud of how I've challenged myself, both by trying a wide range of completely new classes and clubs — from Sanskrit to ballroom dancing to viola da gamba — and by graduating in three years.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I'd like to thank my friends for being there for me every day of my time here, and my family for supporting me from afar. I'd also like to thank my wonderful RC teachers, especially Katri Ervamaa, who has been a source of inspiration, support, and fun ever since she kidnapped me from a practice room three years ago.

Hometown: Bellaire, MI

Degree/Major: Creative Writing and Literature; Film, Television, and Media

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? After graduation, I will be spending the summer in Ireland, after which I hope to go into editing or publishing — anywhere I can work with other writers — while continuing to write my own fiction, nonfiction, and cultural criticism. When I'm not writing, I'll likely be running and attempting to design my own clothes.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? In the RC, I am most proud of finishing my creative writing honors thesis. I have never put so much time (and so many revisions) into something, and I have enjoyed working with both fiction and nonfiction, blending the two, and seeing how my experiences with each type of writing affect the other. Outside of the RC, I am most proud of the work I have done and friends I have made as part of The Michigan Daily's Arts section, which is where I truly found my home on campus.

Anyone you'd like to thank? Considering the things I wrote I was most proud of, I would like to first of all thank my parents for supporting me and not questioning my choice to pursue not one but two majors that could be poor economic decisions. I would also like to thank Laura Thomas for being the best creative writing advisor I could have hoped for, for helping me to figure out what I was trying to say, for helping me to say it effectively, and for being open to any of the writing styles I wanted to attempt and combine. Another thank you to Claire Hall for being the only person keeping me sane when we were trapped in our dorm room in freshman year and for remaining an incredible roommate, friend, and creative writing commiserater/discusser/hype woman since then. Finally, thank you to everyone on the Daily Arts section, of whom there are too many to name here, who made it the home that it has been for me.

Photo coming soon! 

Hometown: Brooklyn, New York

Degree/Major: Organisational Studies

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? This summer, I’ll be teaching photography to campers at Bucks Rock Camp for Performing and Creative Arts, a sleep away camp in New Milford, Connecticut. I hope to build a career in photojournalism and documentary photography in the coming months and years.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I’m proud of the time I managed to spend in the RC’s basement amid the workload for less fun courses and other commitments. I’m proud (or maybe just lucky) that I took such fulfilling classes despite never checking my registration date and time until after it passed. I’m especially proud, grateful, and privileged that after often fearing that I’d graduate from Michigan and struggle to point to what I learned, I can definitively declare: that nightmare did not eventuate.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I’d like to thank Toby Millman, Susan Crowell, Ray Wetzel, and Isaac Wingfield for pushing me and helping me grow as an artist, a thinker, and a person. I’d like to thank my classmates and peers who have kept me company and creatively embarked beside me in the darkroom and in all the other studios at ungodly hours on school nights. I’d like to thank my parents for not batting an eye when I told them that in my first semester at college — one marred by COVID-19 isolation and remote classes — I’d be taking ceramics and book arts. My appreciation for them defies words.

Anything you'd like to add? My photography work can be found at jeremyweine.com

Hometown: Saugatuck, MI

Degree/Major: Arts & Ideas

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? In the years following graduation, I plan on traveling and continuing to make art. Anything could happen after that!

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I am very proud to have taken a part in a PCAP class through the RC, the experience was very memorable and led to begin the thesis I am completing now.

Anyone you'd like to thank? All of the RC faculty and lecturers have been incredibly helpful and supportive of my interests. I can think of many teachers here who have taken the time to push me when I needed it. A big thanks to Ellisa Bayraktar, the invaluable head of the Arts & Ideas program and Isaac Wingfield my thesis advisor and an overall great mentor.

Hometown: Holland, MI

Degree/Major: RC Creative Writing (Mixed-Genre), RC Arts & Ideas (Image/Text), Linguistics Minor

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? After graduation, I will be taking the year off to work in Ann Arbor and focus on graduate school applications to pursue an MFA.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I am most proud of completing my honors thesis projects this year for both of my majors.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I want to thank Isaac and Toby for nominating me. Their encouragement and trust helped me to mend my damaged relationship with making art in classroom settings. I’d also like to thank my parents for their unconditional love.

Anything else you'd like to add? I consider myself a New England Literature Program ambassador! If you’re a UM student, DO NELP!!

Hometown: Rochester Hills

Degree/Major: Creative Writing and Literature

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? I hope to find myself surrounded by books somewhere.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I’m most proud of completing my honors thesis and taking classes outside my comfort zone.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to thank my advisor Christopher Matthews for supporting me throughout my time here, as well as my family and friends.

Hometown: Troy, MI

Degree/Major: RC Creative Writing, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? Next year, I will be working as a Fellow at Verite News in New Orleans. I plan on continuing my career in both professional and creative writing.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I'm most proud of the work I produced for my Creative Writing thesis!

Anyone you'd like to thank? I'd like to thank my family and friends, who are my most enthusiastic and supportive readers.

Hometown: Sterling Heights

Degree/Major: Arts and Ideas in the Humanities + Social Theory and Practice

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? I will be working for the City Year division of Americorps for a year in Detroit! After this I plan to go straight into a PhD program to continue pursuing the intersection of Black Queer Theory and Ceramics.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I think what I'm most proud that I put myself into situations that made me uncomfortable. I learned a lot about who I am and who I want to be by doing this and I can say proudly that I am happy with my life today.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to of course thank my mentors for my theses, Susan Crowell and Heather Ann Thompson; you have pushed me to be more thoughtful and creative. I'd also like to thank my parents, Kellie and Jewel Lynne, for geting me here and enabling me to pursue my goals. And lastly I'd like to thank my close friends who have been my anchor these few years; you have been my community.

Anything else you'd like to add? I would just like to add that being able to explore ceramics freely for the first time has changed me forever. I will forever be grateful and unable to repay that gift.

Hometown: Grosse Pointe Farms

Degree/Major: Bachelor of Arts/Creative Writing

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? I am still job-hunting, and I hope to find a position where I can write and be near family!

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I am most proud of my work I've done as an RC Admissions Assistant. I'm so glad I've gotten to work with a lot of prospective students and form such close relationship with the RC staff!

Anyone you'd like to thank? I want to thank my family for always supporting me in my education and goals. I love you, mwah! I also want to thank all the lifelong friends I've met at at the RC/U of M. You're the best!

Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan

Degree/Major: BA in Sociology: Law, Justice, and Social Change

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? Following graduation, I will be staying in Ann Arbor and working on law school applications while pursuing a non-profit job that aligns with my goals of decarceration, abolition, and restorative justice. I plan to pursue a law degree and use that to help people get exonerated from prison, shorter sentences, and more just criminal trials. Specifically, I want to focus on juvenile justice and breaking the cycle of mass incarceration that thrives on the downfall of members of our community.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? In the RC, I have been part of the Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP) facilitating both visual arts and theatre workshops within Michigan prisons. My time as President of PCAP- and my interactions with the women at Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility- have allowed me to combine my two passions of theatre arts/acting and using arts as a source of common human connection. I have also been part of multiple RC Player productions as both a lead and supporting actress and have been very lucky to get to direct a production in the RC Drama program.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to thank Ashley Lucas for introducing me to the Prison Creative Arts Project and serving as a mentor for me to follow the path of prison reform and decarceration, as well as Mary Heinen for her commitment to bringing art and creativity into carceral institutions and for being open about her own story. I also want to thank my family for always supporting me and encouraging me to continue working within the criminal justice system to work towards creating real change. I could not have done the work with PCAP that I have without other PCAP staff, students, and my friends who allow me to share my passion for reform.

Anything you'd like to add? I am currently a research associate for the Carceral State Project on the Juvenile Life Without Parole research team and I am deeply grateful that I was able to do this in my final semester and am eager to take this research experience into my future career and continue to hone in on these skills. The RC has paved the way for me to access my passion and potential through the arts and commitment to social justice.

Hometown: Ann Arbor

Degree/Major: Social Theory and Practice and philosophy

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? After graduation, I am moving to Denver, Colorado and plan to work as a legal assistant in a law office/non-profit. After a couple of years, I hope to apply to law school. My long term goal is to be an attorney and work on impact litigation cases to challenge the criminal legal system.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I am most proud of writing an honors thesis and being able to share the stories of survivors of the Troubled Teen Industry.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I want to acknowledge and thank my amazing professors and mentors (specifically Ashley Lucas, Nora Krinitsky, Mary Heinen, and my thesis advisor, Becca Pickus), who have taught me more than I could have ever expected and provided me with endless support. I want to acknowledge the amazing community of artists I've met while facilitating PCAP workshops at Cotton Correctional Facility and Cooper St Correctional Facility, as well as my co-facilitator Nitya, since my PCAP workshops have always been a respite in busy, overwhelming times and have taught me things I don't have words to describe. Finally, I want to thank my family, my roommates (Chloe and Delfina), and my boyfriend, Andrew, who have helped me through the most discouraging days of writing my thesis and bought more joy to my life than I have room to describe.

Anything else you'd like to add? I am a double major in philosophy and social theory and practice and wrote an honors thesis about the Troubled Teen Industry titled "This Is Not a Boarding School: Oral Histories with Survivors of the Troubled Teen Industry." I hope that my writing gives back a voice to survivors that was stolen from them when they were sent away. I am so fortunate to have been able to participate in the Prison Creative Arts Project while in the RC, through facilitating creative writing and theater workshops, selecting art and volunteering for the art show, and serving on the executive board. I am also a black belt in Tang Soo Do and a white belt in judo.

Hometown: Ann Arbor

Degree/Major: Anthropology, Spanish, Political Science

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? I am hoping to teach English abroad come Fall 2024! However, for the summer, I will be staying in town to spend time with family and friends, as well as read all the books that I've convinced myself I don't have time for during college. I have a list!

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I am incredibly proud of PALMA (Proyecto Avance: Latino Mentoring Association) for persevering over Zoom and growing back towards the beautiful in-person community we know and love! Outside of the RC, I am proud of my work on the ReConnect/ReCollect project at the U of M Museum of Anthropological Archaeology, completing a senior thesis in cultural anthropology, and being in shows with UM MUSKET.

Anyone you'd like to thank? IA million thank-yous to my Mom, Dad, brother Spencer, and sister Maggie; I love you so much. Thank you to Emma, Elya, and Missy, who are my dearest friends (and all RC alums!). Thank you also to Mark Burde and Cristhian Espinoza-Pino; you have supported and inspired me since I was a Freshman all the way up until now, and I can’t thank you enough.

Hometown: DeWitt, MI

Degree/Major: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity BS

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? After graduation, I will take a gap year before attending medical school. I plan to work, save up some money, and do a bit of traveling. I hope to one day be a practicing cardiologist or OBGYN, improving the outcomes of underserved and overlooked communities.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I am most proud of all of the opportunities I explored. If I were not in the RC or at U-M, I would not have pursued things like learning Japanese, studying abroad, or joining a bunch of clubs on campus. I am grateful for all of the lessons I learned from my peers and instructors, and all of the kindness they have shown me over the years.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to thank my family (including my pets), my friends, and my broader support network. The love they've shown me is beyond what I could have expected. I would also like to thank my instructors, specifically Catherine Badgley, for being amazing professors and mentors since I began my time at U-M.

Anything else you'd like to add? Sydney took her time deciding what path she wanted to take in undergrad. Eventually, she decided to major in Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity (EEB) with minors in Japanese and Women's and Gender Studies (WGS). During her time at U-M, she led the RC Health and Wellness Forum, and she was part of the e-boards of the Society of Asian Studies Students and Mixed@Michigan. She enjoys learning about the complexities of people and the natural world, and she plans to keep that passion alive after graduation. She also loves to watch TV, eat, and learn K-pop dances. \(^o^)/

Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan

Degree/Major: Cognitive Science and American Culture

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? I'll be home in Taiwan for a year and spending time with my family. After that, I plan on attending law school!

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? From my time in the RC and at U-M, I'm most proud of the friends I've made along the way. They're truly lovely people and my college experience has been nothing short of amazing because of them.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to thank my parents for supporting me these four years, as well as the faculty and staff that I've had the pleasure of getting to know and learning from.

Hometown: Los Angeles

Degree/Major: Majors: Social Theory and Practice & Anthropology. Minors: Latin American and Caribbean Studies & Art and Design

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? After graduation I will be taking a gap year and applying to grad programs. Ideally I would like to stay in Ann Arbor, and I'm definitely applying here again!

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I'm most proud of the work I have done with the Prison Creative Arts Project doing arts advocacy in Michigan prisons.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to thank Emily Chase, Vitalis Im, Megan Holmes, Nora Krinitsky, Martín Vargas, my family, and all of my roommates for putting up with me for the past four years.

Anything else you'd like to add? I love my cats, Sam and Pippin.

Hometown: Sterling Heights

Degree/Major: Arts and Ideas in the Humanities + Social Theory and Practice

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? I will be working for the City Year division of Americorps for a year in Detroit! After this I plan to go straight into a PhD program to continue pursuing the intersection of Black Queer Theory and Ceramics.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I think what I'm most proud that I put myself into situations that made me uncomfortable. I learned a lot about who I am and who I want to be by doing this and I can say proudly that I am happy with my life today.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to of course thank my mentors for my theses, Susan Crowell and Heather Ann Thompson; you have pushed me to be more thoughtful and creative. I'd also like to thank my parents, Kellie and Jewel Lynne, for geting me here and enabling me to pursue my goals. And lastly I'd like to thank my close friends who have been my anchor these few years; you have been my community.

Anything else you'd like to add? I would just like to add that being able to explore ceramics freely for the first time has changed me forever. I will forever be grateful and unable to repay that gift.

Hometown:  Novi, MI

Degree/Major: History (LSA) and Secondary Education (School of Education)

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? After graduating, I hope to go immediately back to school! Though this time it would be as the teacher standing in front of a classroom~

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I am proud to have done so many different things during my time with the University! I wrote a thesis in history, student taught full-time, was a leader of the student esports organization, and completed the RC intensive French sequence and two semesters of Bangla. I definitely did all that I wanted to do in University and some more.

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to thank my teachers, mentors, and friends for guiding and supporting me in the past five years.

More about Spencer: Spencer is a student at the Residential College with a major in History and Secondary Education. He served as a committee director for Model UN conference at the University, and was the President of University of Michigan Esports, the competitive gaming student organization on campus. He also worked for four years as an RC student staff and recruiter.

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Degree/Major: Creative Writing & Literature; Secondary Education

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? Fall will find me in the high school English classroom--as a teacher this time! In summers, I hope to be reading, writing, or up a mountain somewhere.

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I'm proud to have tried so many new things in my 4 years at U-M and in the RC. From theater to book arts to furniture making, being part of the RC allowed me to explore the arts and connect with other people who love creating as much as I do. I'm also proud of the work I've done in my final semester: completing my thesis and student-teaching full time has been an incredible, challenging, at-times-harrowing, but ultimately rewarding conclusion to my time in college.

Anyone you'd like to thank? Infinite thanks to Christopher Matthews, who advised my thesis project, and to all the amazing instructors I've had over the years. Thanks also to my family and friends, for the joy they bring me every day.

Hometown: Royal Oak

Degree/Major: Creative Writing and Literature (Minor in History)

Where will you be following graduation? Or where do you hope to find yourself? I'm planning on taking a gap year, getting a job, and volunteering back in my former hometown of Wyandotte, Michigan before applying to any graduate programs. In the meantime, I plan to keep working on getting my writing out there and trying to get published. I'll also definitely spend some of the summer doing some travelling around Michigan as well as a volunteer day at The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee!

What are you most proud of from your time in the RC and at U-M? I'm most proud of completing my manuscript/honors thesis of poems, "Changeling Seasons." It's something I've been developing during my whole time in the RC, and I have really enjoyed working with my professors and peers to complete this!

Anyone you'd like to thank? I would like to thank Hannah Ensor for being my thesis advisor, helping me complete "Changeling Seasons," and nominating me for this award! I also want to thank my tutorial professors, Laura Kasischke and Sarah Messer for all of their help and encouragement in writing poems and Christopher Matthews for all of his help and encouragement in fiction writing. Finally, I want to thank the Creative Writing Department in the RC as a whole both for this award and for three amazing years!

Anything else you'd like to add? I have had such a wonderful time in the RC and really appreciate all of the chances to create, perform, and make friends with awesome people it has given me! Whether it's playing Monster Mash in my costume for the RC Review Halloween open mic night or stumbling around the Keene Theatre in a blindfold for the RC Players' Bakkhai, being here has given me a ton of great memories that I will always appreciate.