*Eleven Weeks In*

Here I am, 11 weeks into my first semester as a PhD student, and I am surviving!

Due to some proposed programatic restructuring, I am most likely beginning my degree under the title of PhD in English: Rhetoric, Writing, and Literacies (old title listed with my ASU biography). Because I am just starting this program the proposed name change and subsequent requirement changes really only affect me in a positive way. Under this new structure I will not have to take linguistic classes, but I am required to take a literacy course. Entering the program, I was wary of the linguistics requirement because linguistics is a very difficult subject area for me. I am enrolled in a literacy course this semester, though, and have found it to be enlightening and beneficial to my overarching scholarly work.

Here are some highlights from the semester thus far:

* I joined the Graduate Scholars of English Association (GSEA) at the beginning of the year and this has proved to be valuable and a lot of fun! I was paired with a third year student who serves as my "mentor," answering questions, getting coffee, offering advice, and I have enjoyed meeting with her. I have also attended a panel on alternative career choices following graduation, attended socials, and written a short bio piece for a new faculty member through this organization.

* I was accepted to present at the Southwest Popular and American Culture Association Conference (SWPACA) in Albuquerque in the middle of February, 2015. I am looking forward to presenting at this conference and getting to hear ideas and meet fellow scholars interested in the same kind of work that I am doing.

* I was randomly selected to be featured in an interview and video recording of my ENG 101 class for a Writing Programs project entitled Visualizing Teaching In Action (VITA). This was challenging in that I had to reflect on and discuss my own pedagogical practices and beliefs, but I think it has been productive for both me and my students to have done this work.

I still have the last third of the semester to finish out, and I am hoping it will be as rewarding and productive as it has been thus far. I will post more about the points posted above as they come to fruition.