Her Story
About Keri
I have been a humanities instructor for 15 years, teaching at the college level. I spent about a decade in developmental literacy before transitioning into academic composition, which has a strong tie to the developmental literacy world. My key responsibilities involve creating curriculum that has best practices laced through it to maximize the potential for students to learn. I focus on making students comfortable in the classroom, helping them find community on the entire campus, and assisting them in figuring out how to navigate learning academically. The journey is different for everyone and requires different people to assist sometimes in the rest of the college. I'm like a bartender of life - students come tell me things, and I can feel when they're sad and ask if they need to talk. I'm empathetic to an extreme degree. I've had students who were suicidal, and I take them up to counseling and talk them through it. My goal is to help them be human and get through what they need to get through with some strengths. Sometimes you can give that to them through education without the education being the part of it. Teaching is just part of who I am - it's what I end up doing no matter what I'm doing. I've always taught in everything I've ever done, whether it was working in radio, selling cars, or even teaching my brother before he got to kindergarten. I wanted to get into a position where some of the things I've learned in my life and the things I've gone through, I could make easier for somebody else by helping them get an education.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Keri
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to diligence, honesty, and drive to want to be a part of something - kind of a purpose that goes beyond me. I've had to fight for the most part for every step I took, but I've stayed committed to making a difference in students' lives and helping them get through what they need to get through with some strengths.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I'd say stay on top of your game. Stay on top of what best practices are for the career avenue that they're heading into, whether it's teaching or writing, or whatever. When it comes to education, you always have to stay on top of things, because things change quickly. Just keep doing, do what your heart says. If you can find something that you love and keep doing it, you're not really working, are you?
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges are trying to meet students where they're from and take them where they need to go. It's a different journey for everyone, and it requires different people to assist sometimes in the rest of the college. We have a really good camaraderie there, and we have a really good network of support for students. It depends on what's going on with them. I've had students have some crazy experiences, and for whatever reason, I'm like a bartender of life - they come tell me things. I'm empathetic to an extreme degree. I've had students who were suicidal, and I take them up to counseling and talk them through it. I had one student about two years ago who unsuccessfully tried to drive into a brick wall, totaled his car, and couldn't tell his parents that he didn't die because he was trying to. The challenge is to help them be human and get through what they need to get through with some strengths. Sometimes you can give that to them through education without the education being the part of it.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in my work and personal life are honesty, authenticity, reliability, and ethics. These guide everything I do, from how I interact with students to how I approach my teaching and curriculum development.
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