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College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences (CHABSS)

Alumni Testimonials

Past Alumni Testimonials

"This new journey in teaching at UEI College certainly begins with CSUSM; I think about my experience and my mentors all the time. Teaching GEW during my Master’s program and now Automotive courses in a post-graduation period have taught me very valuable lessons: 1) Education is education, and 2) No student is the same or learns the same. During my years of studying at CSUSM, I considered the automotive trade to be nothing more than my living which also afforded me my tuition.  My mind told me I would be teaching English courses and have only a small amount of time to dedicate to cars and working on them.  Little did I know that I would soon have the best of both worlds—be able to teach and serve students (my original goal), and be able to still enjoy my passion for cars! 

A message for LTWR students of my beloved home campus of CSUSM: Keep pushing.  You’ve made, and are making the right choice in studying under a powerful major at a great campus.  Don’t be afraid to take risks.  Your hard work and determination will be recognized by your future employers.  You’ve committed to finishing a degree and will finish!" 

Francisco Ortega, M. A. (2020)
Automotive Instructor at UEI College
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 "The Literature and Writing program offered opportunities unique to my areas of focus that I wouldn't have had elsewhere. CSUSM's diverse LTWR faculty encourage inter-departmental collaboration, listening to students' academic and professional goals and providing personal support and development within the program and beyond. Seminar-style classes, hands on teaching training, and rich mentorship from colleagues and professors provided the experience I needed to enter the professional world fully prepared and join the editorial staff of an academic publisher upon graduation."

Amy Salisbury-Werhane, M.A. (2013)
Developmental Editor and Project Manager at Fountainhead Press


"The Literature and Writing Studies graduate program at CSUSM provided me with a comprehensive education, an exceptional community of faculty and graduate students, and an opportunity to grow as a scholar and teacher. CSUSM's MA program readied me for a career in teaching by giving me the opportunity to teach my own courses. Not only did teaching allow for me to put into practice the work of my graduate thesis, but as a teaching assistant, I gained classroom experience that was invaluable when transitioning to the job market within the community." 

Jake Strona, M.A. (2013)
Full-Time Faculty of Letters at Mira Costa Community College


 "Earning an M.A. in CSUSM's LTWR department showed me what it meant to be a scholar. The one-on-one mentoring I received from various professors, especially my thesis chair, engendered my desire to teach and work at the college-level. I left the LTWR M.A. program with the skills to build a career in academia."