Student Voices
Jolanta Lutow, December '09
Major: English
Minor: Business
Hometown: Elmhurst, Ill.
If she could, Jolanta Lutow would read novels for a living. She loves to read and discuss literature. That's why her dream is to own her own bookstore — and that's why she's at Carthage.
"The versatility of the English staff and their vast amount of knowledge always blows me away," Jolanta says. "No matter what professors Carrig, DuPriest, Michie and Smiley are teaching, they are passionate about the job, and expect you to be just as involved. ... Being a young female student, it is empowering to be surrounded by an array of intelligent, successful female role models who are eager to help further a student in his or her way of study."
Jolanta has formed close relationships with her professors, and hopes those friendships will be lifelong. "At what other type of college can you grab coffee on campus with a professor and just chat about life in general?" she says.
The summer before her graduation, Jolanta interned at A Room of One's Own, a bookstore in Madison, Wis.
"Carthage has a really great 'create your own internship' program that allows students to gain academic credit for the work that they do at the internship," she said. As a business minor, she found a business professor to sponsor her internship. She knew she wanted to work at a bookstore so she could learn how a bookstore operates. "With the help of Jean Fredericks in the Career Services office, I was able to put together a professional resume, as well as a few cover letters for the bookstores I solicited. A Room of One's Own needed the extra help this summer, and they were more than willing to guide me through my learning process."
During her internship, she learned more about organizing a bookstore, running a business, and communicating with publishers. She participated in several in-store events, such as author visits and poetry readings. She followed a curriculum provided by the American Booksellers Association, which included case studies and handouts on business strategies for book sellers. She'll turn in a paper outlining her experience at the end of the semester.
"It was also great to be working with a female small business owner whose business is successful and stable," Jolanta said. "The store owner provided me with lots of guidance and tips for independent bookstore owners. ... I learned that in today's economy, owning any small business is a feat, but putting hard work, creativity and passion together will help overcome the rough times. The overall experience left me with a positive mindset about my future goals."
Favorite class: English 309: Literature of Diversity. "The class had 11 or 12 people in it, which created a comfortable discussion atmosphere. The class was also filled with non-English majors who brought differing points of view. We read a variety of work that ranged from poetry to novels. Also, Professor DuPriest combined media sources and planned a voluntary field trip to an Africa art museum in downtown Chicago, making a day trip out of it."
Toughest class: "Shakespeare was most definitely one of my toughest English courses. Generally, I read contemporary authors and modern works, which is why Shakespeare proved challenging for me. ... Professor Carrig provided the class with opportunities to see a couple of the plays performed. We went to see 'Twelfth Night' at the Shakespeare Theatre at Navy Pier in Chicago. After seeing that, I gained a completely different perspective on understanding Shakespeare. Although it was tough to get through, after taking the course, I feel better versed at Shakespeare, and know that taking the extra step to understand is definitely worth the work."
Opportunities at Carthage: In addition to her internship, Jolanta was hired as an English Department student fellow for Fall 2009. She is treasurer of Sigma Tau Delta, the English fraternity on campus, and co-chair of Advocates of Choice. "What's great about all the groups is that even if you're not a member, you can participate in the majority of the events," she said. "For example, Circle K International has several volunteer opportunities that are open to the entire campus. Being a part of Carthage has also allowed me to gain the experiences I need to go out into the work world and know how to interact with others on a professional level."
Favorite spot on campus: "A set of rocks behind South, right off the lake. I would bring my backpack and tell myself I would get homework done, but I always ended up staring off into the horizon or reading a book that wasn't required."
Biggest surprises: "How much better I am at college than I was in high school," Jolanta said. "When I started at Carthage, I had all the same fears that any incoming freshman has: Will I be good enough? What if this is too hard? But as it turns out, if you love what you're doing, the results show. My advice to current and prospective Carthage students is to choose a major that you really want. It will make your college career much more enjoyable."
Student Voices
Maeve McFadden, '12
"Professors will push you to delve deeper and deeper into a text until your mind is blown at the level of sophisticated analysis you've just reached."
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