Another student and teacher is Megan Stoner Morgan, MUW Class of 2008, who was originally from Caledonia, Mississippi. While at the W, she was a member of Mortarboard, and Sigma Tau Delta, editor of Dilettanti, a member of the French Club and the College Democrats. Megan served as President of the Student Honors Council and was a member of Bukwyrms and Midnight Writers.
Megan is now in a Ph.D. program at the University of Georgia where she teaches First-Year Composition, a class that helps freshmen with their analytical writing skills. She told us "I was inspired by my teachers at the W. They are the reason I went to graduate school, and I still consider them my models for what teachers should be. At the W, I was always expected to be prepared to share my ideas and knowledge in class, but I also knew that my contributions were valued and welcomed. I try to foster that same environment in my classes. I also learned to not be easily intimidated, which helps when you're teaching basketball players! I love hearing what students think about the things we read and discuss. Often they'll approach an issue in a totally different way than I had planned, and the discussion ends up being richer than I ever imagined. Surprises like that are such a treat."
Every job has its challenges and Megan's biggest one is working with students whose education before college was not what it should have been. "It breaks my heart to see really smart students struggling with basic mechanics issues like spelling and grammar, and thinking that they're just stupid because they have problems. Trying to keep those students encouraged can be rough, but it's very worth it."
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