ELIZABETH J.

DICKHUT
Statement of Purpose
My mother just didnt know what to do with me. After handing me Jane Austen in 5th
grade it was clear that my voracious reading appetite would not be easily appeased. From an
early age literature and writing were an active, integral aspect of my daily life. Analyzing this
development, however, can be a Sisyphus task: my writing ability increases intellectually but
when an apex is seemingly reached, there is another style waiting to be developed and the
process begins anew. Classes, theorists, and other school activities have affected this growth, as
well as experiential learning and practical application of the material. Much like Bilbo Baggins
and his physical trek across Middle Earth, my unexpected journey traces the development of
my passion for writing and literature and can be outlined by my development as an individual
and the dazzling product that is the summation of my English Literature major as influenced by a
liberal arts education.
The first steps of this journey started in the classroom. Interest in literature was piqued at
an early age through classic literature and historical fiction, while curiosity of the mechanics of
writing developed with teacher instruction. Due to the close proximity of my high school to St.
Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin I was afforded the opportunity to complete a 6 credit,
college level English class by the age of 17. While this earlier style of writing tended towards the
melodramatic, it was essentially the starting point for my writing development. From here, the
journey travels forward and to a higher level, mainly through studying at Loras College in
Dubuque, Iowa, as well as studying abroad, and professional work experiences.
Through the program requirements of the English Literature major, as well as other
writing and research based classes for the History major, Loras College dramatically influenced

my interest in writing. In Literary Criticism, taught by Dr. Andrew Auge, the importance of
exemplary writing, critical review, and differing viewpoints were emphasized. Specifically, we
were taught how to connect information across disciplines and critically analyze novels, short
stories, poems, and articles. More importantly, this class was the precursor to Senior Literature
Capstone, taught by Dr. Jean Merrill. The purpose of this course is to write a professional thesis
paper and prepare students for a public defense, as well synthesize a cohesive portfolio project.
Besides specific classes, my overall interest in English has been greatly inspired by my advisor,
Dr. Susan Stone. Her guidance augmented my personal learning experience and helped develop a
basis in multi-cultural literature. The diverse classes she offered, specifically African American
Literature and Native Voices, Native Lives (an experiential learning course involving Native
American literature) helped to supplement my cultural understanding and broaden my
understanding of literature.
Diverse culture and experiential learning was just the next step on the journey. Being a
History major opened the doors to a variety of opportunities that further developed my passion
for writing. The Historical Methods class, taught by Dr. David Salvaterra, developed factual
knowledge on proper historical paper writing technique as well as introduced students to the
Chicago/Turabian citation style. Dr. Kristin Anderson-Bricker, in Research Seminar, built on
Historical Methods by developing primary source research and basing a final thesis project on
this investigation. Both of these courses advanced a different, yet instrumental, genre of writing.
The writing and historical journey continued further with a foray into Europe, specifically
Lisbon, Portugal. Besides experiencing a variety of cultures and traveling to numerous countries,
writing was developed further due to a unique synthesis of individual research and internship. A
language barrier, however, was a definite challenge that was overcome through studying

Portuguese and cleverly manipulating English. These experiences just furthered my interest in
the field of English and actually helped to hone my ambitions and goals. Since numerous other
international students traveled to Portugal with the intent of improving their English, conversing
with the American was quite popular. Therefore it was a regular occurrence to be asked
grammatical and practical questions about the English language. These interactions made me
realize the importance of clear communication and factual knowledge, which is part of the
motivation behind my desire to further my education.
My two current places of employment have also inspired a passion for the written word.
As part of my responsibilities at the Iowa Welcome Center, in Dubuque, Iowa, I am tasked with
writing concise summaries of area activities. The goal is to convey a large amount of information
in a manageable amount for tourists. This challenge has helped further useful writing skills in the
workplace and community. My other job, however, has really been the inspiration for future
career goals. Working at the Loras College Writing Center has helped me to realize that the
practical mechanics of writing can be interesting and exciting. In analyzing student papers and
helping to motivate my peers while simultaneously gaining writing skills I have furthered
developed my personal abilities and fostered a desire to engage in writing at a professional or
academic level.
While my journey has been an overall productive one, there have been a few bumps in
the road. Mainly, one large bump on my head in the fall of 2013 that caused a slight dip in my
grades. Having a concussion, while being a struggle, also helped me grow as a student and
writer. Reading caused debilitating headaches and writing had to be done with pen and paper,
since computer screens made me nauseous. While this taught me how valuable good health is,
having a head injury also made me aware of the importance of books and writing in my life.

Rather than take these skills for granted, I am now keenly aware of my gifts and can empathize
with those that struggle with writing and reading which reinforces my desire to help students by
making the process more manageable.
In understanding my desire to work with others in the department of English, the genesis
of this interest is integral to the end goal. Classic literature, contemporary novels, and even
fluff fiction fed my imagination and developed my reading and writing abilities from a young
age. Academically, the journey started in high school and continually developed and changed
over my four years at Loras College. While many of the twists and turns might have been
unexpected, like studying abroad and my concussion, without these challenges I might not have
developed certain skills or the desire to further my education. I am confident in my ability to be
successful at the graduate level and achieve my central goal of helping others develop and gain
confidence in English writing and literature.