Rowan Winslow

Pronouns: 

He/They 

Major: 

Hutchins School of Liberal Studies and English

Hometown: 

Sonoma, CA

What are your campus involvements? 

Peer Mentor for First-and Second-Year Transition (FAST) Program for Liberal Studies, Digital Content Creator for Seawolf Living, TRIO

What is your favorite memory or experience at SSU? 

There are so many, but probably Decision Day because it was the day that I decided to be here. It was such a warm welcome, and it really made me feel like I made the right decision (the biggest decision I've made in my life) to spend the next four years here. Since starting here I've decided maybe to extend my studies to a doctorate or master’s degree.

What has been the most challenging part of your college experience and what did you learn from it? 

One of the most challenging but rewarding parts of my college experience so far has been switching my major. Throughout high school I was determined to be a History teacher, so when I enrolled at SSU I declared myself a History and Hutchins Liberal Studies major. When I finally got here and started my academic journey one of the first books I read was called Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen which tackles all of the intricacies of teaching History, from the mandatory curriculums to the social impact on students. After reading the book, I realized that my expectations were different from my reality and it led me to a lot of soul searching. After reevaluating why I wanted to teach History I realized what I was really invested in were the stories, the small details that mean so much, and I came to the conclusion that the English major might hold more of the aspects I was looking for. It was initially really scary to change what I had been working so hard for and it was intimidating to start over completely, to be the new person walking into a room with people who were confident about their decisions, to make new friends in new classes, but it has made me so much happier and I got to meet so many new people that I relate to and can learn with and from. 

What brought you to SSU, and what motivates you to stay? 

I was drawn to SSU because of the small class sizes, the campus communities that we have through Seawolf Living and Associated Students, and all the student clubs on campus. I loved how beautiful the campus is, and how you can walk out of your dorm and into the woods or into town. I love the positivity here and the tight knit communities. I am also in love with Hutchins Liberal Studies, and SSU is the only school that offers this major with this kind of curriculum and this kind of a community.

Who at SSU has influenced you and/or made an impact on your journey here? 

There are so many people! I have been impacted by so many amazing people here on campus. I've been impacted by the support of my professors Margaret Anderson, and Brantley Bryant, who have all inspired me to continue to be serious about my education while still fostering the wonder of learning. I have been impacted by incredible friends who have supported me endlessly like Kade Dorstad, Natalie Fielden, and Jenna Taylor. I have also been impacted by the learning opportunities that my jobs have given me including Seawolf Living with Amanda Pohopien, Jacob Ceron Echeverria, and Remy Williams, and at my Peer Mentoring job I've gotten the pleasure of getting to know Leila Brown, Melissa Radlinsky, and Allison DeStasio. All of these people are incredible friends, role models, and supports in this community and bring so much positivity to everything they do.