Freshman English Major Explains Her Interests, Accomplishments, and Aspirations

Freshman English Major Explains Her Interests, Accomplishments, and Aspirations

By: Mariah "Skyler" O’Marrah, ENG 336.002

 

 

Trachelle Robinson has always been serious about English, literature, and learning. She is a freshman at Frostburg State University, and she is majoring in English and Social Work. She works for a non-profit youth organization that provides mentoring and therapy for children, as a secretary. “I do whatever they tell me to do,” she says. The organization is called T.E.A.M., an acronym which stands for “Together Everyone Achieves More”. Robinson has worked here for three years.

ECHOSTARS is a volunteer service organization, of which Robinson is a part. They help mentor children, meeting at the Frostburg Library (the one on E Main Street, not the one on campus) and the Cumberland Library. “You know, like a learning community? That’s what it is,” Robinson says. They also go to senior citizen homes and sit and chat with and feed the people there.

Robinson also says that she likes to read a lot, and that her favorite book is “White Oleander” by Janet Fitch. It tells the story of a poet who was put in prison based on murder charges, and was part of Oprah’s Book Club. She is also a fan of the author Toni Morrison, with a particular interest in the book “Song of Solomon”. “Also any play by Henrik Ibsen,” she says. Robinson said that her ideal day would be spent laying in bed, writing, with a hot cup of tea.

Robinson was in the National Honor Society for two years in high school. She went to Pikesville High School and Western High School (the latter of which is an all-girls school in Baltimore). She took AP World Geography, two years of AP English, and AP Spanish. She was even in Spanish club – although she was quoted as saying, “That just isn’t my forte, I think.”

But why did she decide to be an English major? “I've always loved English, and more specifically writing. I think what drew me in was the alternate universe that can be created by a stimulated imagination and a little faith,” Robinson says. She goes on to say, “I'm not sure what I want to do after college, but publishing and editing is definitely looking like a career path I could be in to.”

And so she continues to earnestly pursue her dreams.

Here is a link to the blog of the author of Trachelle Robinson's favorite book:
http://janetfitchwrites.wordpress.com/