Kelsey Maki
Instructor
English Department
Humanities Institute
Faculty member since: 2009
Courses Taught
Fundamentals of Writing
English Composition: Writing and Research
Education
Bachelor of Arts in American Literature, The University of California (Santa Cruz)
Master of Arts in English, Rutgers University (Camden)
What brought you to Brookdale?
I was drawn to Brookdale by its resources and reputation; I realized that Brookdale was special when I got to know its faculty.
Describe one or more of your biggest achievements as a Brookdale faculty member:
I am happy to have contributed to my department as an English 095 course co-coordinator. Right now, I am serving as the faculty liaison to the International Education Center, where I help to promote the Global Citizenship Project (GCP) and international education.
Do you work outside of the college?
Although teaching will always be my priority, in my limited spare time, I compose literary fiction and serve as a writing consultant. My fiction has been anthologized and published in a variety of literary journals—both online and in print. You can read a sampling of my published works on my website.
What would you say is your most memorable moment – or moments – as a member of the Brookdale community?
The events at Brookdale are fantastic! Last semester I listened to a panel of young adults from Rwanda share their experience of living in a post-genocide country; I saw Nick Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn speak about global issues; I saw an engaging discussion between Brookdale’s honors and international students, and this is just to name a few of the events that made an impact on me in the last semester! But more satisfying than attending any event is the joy that I get when I see that students have learned something in my class, something (however large or small it may be) that they will carry with them for a long time to come.
What do you think separates Brookdale from other colleges?
My colleagues are do-ers! It’s inspiring to be around people that are always learning or doing something–from pursuing another degree, to working with faculty groups, to starting a campus club–Brookdale employees amaze me with their energy. Being in a place where people work hard because they are passionate about what they do will sustain me in my career for a long time to come.
Would you recommend that students take a class in your department?
I strongly believe that every Brookdale student should take more than just the required composition courses. Brookdale offers an impressive array of literature and creative writing classes, which are taught by some of the best educators on campus; all students would be wise to enroll in at least one of these courses. To have the best society, we need STEAM, (science, technology, engineering, ARTS, math) not STEM! We shouldn’t forget that many of our modern tech deities (e.g., Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos) value art and communication. The ability to think critically and creatively, to see the world through someone else’s eyes, is what students will gain when they study writing and literature.