Alumni Spotlights


Reiko Arimura
Class Year: ’11, M.Ed. ’20
Majors: English (Bachelor’s Degree), Education (Master’s Degree)
Current Hometown: Kenosha, Wisconsin
Job:
Assistant Principal at the 21st Century Preparatory School in Racine, Wisconsin
“My pathway has been intertwined with Carthage every step of the way, whether it was my first classroom placement experience as a freshman or cultivating professional relationships and assisting in the training of the next generation of educators.”

Bryanna Barrera
Class Year: ’19
Majors: English
Current Hometown: Austin, Texas
Job:
Doctoral Student/Teaching Assistant at the University of Texas at Austin
“I never met a Carthage faculty member who did not welcome me into their office to discuss any ideas or concerns I had, and what I have gained from these conversations is invaluable.”

Emily Conway
Class Year: ’19
Majors: English
Job:
Environmental Educator and Program Leader at McHenry County Conservation District
“When we see greater diversity in the workplace, we see greater representation of opinion, experience, and need. When the general population is represented in politics, on a corporate team, or in a school, satisfaction, success, and involvement rises. Equal opportunity and equal representation support growth in every field.”

Dana Ehrmann
Class Year: ’15
Majors: English and Film Studies
Current Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Job:
Social Media Coordinator and Stand-up Comic
“I remember my first tour of Carthage and being promised the world. I am thrilled to be able to say it delivered.”

Grant Gosizk
Class Year: ’12
Majors: English and Creative Writing
Current Hometown: Shorewood, Wisconsin
Job:
Associate Lecturer at University of Wisconsin-Parkside, and adjunct faculty at Carthage College and the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
“All of our paths are circuitous. Don’t judge yourself according to anyone else’s metric.”

Abby Kirby
Class Year: ’18
Majors: English
Current Hometown: McHenry, Illinois
Job:
Graduate student in Media and Cinema Communications at DePaul University
“Carthage promised me a family, and they delivered big time. I found a group of people who cared about something and then didn’t stop caring.”

Jason Lund
Class Year: ’13
Majors: Great Ideas, English
Current Hometown: Waco, TX
Job:
Ph.D Candidate at Baylor University
“I cannot put into words how grateful I am that I found Carthage.”

Alyssa Padjen
Class Year: ’21
Majors: English
Current Hometown: Kenosha, Wisconsin
Job:
Chief Deputy County Clerk for Kenosha County
“The skills I attained in my English courses have allowed me to be a well-rounded and creative professional. My professors also unveiled a level of self-confidence in me that has continued to serve me throughout my career.”

Skye Rutherford
Class Year: ’18
Majors: English, Creative Writing
Current Hometown: Janesville, WI
Job:
English Teaching Assistant
“At Carthage, I always felt like I had a community that harnessed my passions while still encouraging me to strive for more.”