Dana Ehrmann
Dana Ehrmann
Class Year
’15
Hometown
West Allis, Wis.
Major(s)
English, Film Studies
Dana Ehrmann was attracted to Carthage by the beauty of the campus and the small size. “I knew that for me personally, everything would be better with a small school,” she said. “I could have personal relationships with faculty and staff, get to know a lot of my fellow students, have more opportunities, and have my achievements stand out and recognized. All of these things have proven true in my time here.”
Dana began looking for ways to get involved almost immediately, and found the Carthage Stand-up Comedy Club, which has helped her in unexpected ways. “I joined Stand-up Comedy Club my freshman year to make sure that I tried something new. As soon as I performed once, I was hooked. It has helped with my public speaking, and it’s cool to be known for doing comedy around campus.”
Dana is about to begin two internships where she hopes to use her passion for English and love for comedy. “One is with The Milwaukee Public Museum as a storyteller intern, working on various writing projects. The other is with ComedySportz, an comedy improv establishment, doing whatever they might need.”
Career goal
“After Carthage, I want to be a writer. Whether it’s working for an organization or writing my own projects, I know writing is what I want to be doing. A lot of people think there’s nothing for English majors to do but teach, but I couldn’t disagree more. As an English major, I feel like I have endless possibilities.”
How have Carthage faculty had an impact on your life or Carthage career?
“Professor Kiesel of the English Department has been key to the success I’ve had as an English major. She has a great enthusiasm for literature and teaches her classes so we get the most out of each text. My paper writing has improved dramatically from taking her courses. She wants to help in any way she can. And she’s HILARIOUS.”
Favorite class
“My favorite class at Carthage has been my J-Term trip to Puerto Rico. It was a two-week intensive film course. We traveled all over the island, interacting with the locals and learning how to best capture Puerto Rican culture through film. Puerto Rico is a beautiful place, and I also grew close to everyone I went with. The skills I learned shooting and editing films has paid dividends in other classes, and when I’m making videos for fun, too.”
Campus involvement
“I belong to Badminton Club, and am a member of two academic fraternities - Sigma Tau Delta for English and Lambda Pi Eta for Communication.”
Toughest class
“I guess Intro to Biology has been my toughest class so far, because I am not involved in the sciences at all. But my professor was great working with non-majors, and with a little extra study time, I picked it up just fine.”
Opportunities at Carthage
“I have had a lot of opportunities to do my stand-up comedy at Carthage. We have our own shows as a club, but there are also a lot of organizations that hold open mics or benefit concerts. The Carthage Activities Board also gave me a Wednesday Night Student Spotlight, and I got my own 45 minute set.”
Favorite moments and memories at Carthage
“My favorite moments at Carthage are when everybody comes together and gets excited. It’s so fun to cheer along with everyone at a basketball game, and to see everybody smiling at Late Night Breakfast, the event Carthage holds the night before exams start for us to eat and relax together. Family weekends are great weekends, too; last year there were fireworks, and as I watched them, I was reminded of why I’m so lucky to be here.”
Favorite spot on campus
“I love the Union because it’s got so many things going on. There are different seating areas to eat and do homework. The upstairs theater is probably my favorite place. I’ve seen a lot of great bands, comedy shows, and movies up there.”
Why should other students consider your major? What advice do you have for them?
“You have to know being an English major the amount of reading and writing you will do. You’ll have a lot to read every night, and you will be no stranger to writing analytical papers. For Film Studies, you have to know that it’s self-design, so you have to plan it out and have a committee approve it. But if these are the things you’re interested in, go for it!”