Seth Rhoades is a third-year student from Albertville, AL. He is majoring in English with a Sociology minor and is the president of the JSU Writer’s Club. He is also in the Faster Masters program, which means he is simultaneously working towards his BA and MA degrees.

• Why did you decide to attend JSU?

I decided to go to JSU because I had the better scholarship offers from this school, and it was closer to home for me than the other colleges I was considering. I also heard good things about the teaching program, which I was originally interested in coming out of high school.

• What are some of your hobbies?

Some of my hobbies include playing video games, listening to music, spending time with my friends and family, watching movies, reading, and writing poetry and stories.

• Why did you choose your major?

I was originally undecided entering my freshman year of college. I originally thought that I wanted to teach high school history, but I found that that wasn’t for me and after a couple semesters of searching for the right degree, I decided to go with English. I have always been good at writing, and I loved my basic English classes. It just made sense, and I don’t regret it!

• Do you have any post-grad plans?

Yes, I do. I am currently in the Faster Masters program here at JSU, which allows students to take up to 12 hours of graduate classes that count for both their graduate and undergraduate degrees. After I graduate, I plan to finish my graduate degree in English here at JSU and get a job as a professor.

• Are you involved in any clubs/organizations?

I am. I am currently the president of the JSU Writer’s Club. We are always looking for new members, so if anyone is interested, let us know! I am also the vice president of the JSU Honors Program.

• Do you have any hopes for the future of the JSU writer’s club?

As I said, we are always looking for new members, so I would love to see the membership grow over time. I would also love to see the writer’s club be more involved with the English Department and possibly even partner with the English Department and/or the School of Arts and Humanities for future events.

• Who is your favorite professor, and why?

This is a hard one. I have honestly enjoyed the majority of my professors, especially those for my major and minor (I also would like to keep making good grades going forward with future professors lol). If I had to say, I think there are two professors that have had the most profound impact on me. Dr. Jeremy Ross in the Sociology department and the now retired Dr. Pitt Harding from the English Department. Their classes have been the most instrumental in my finding of myself and my passions.

• What is one book you think every person should read at least once?

One of my favorite books to this day is The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It is the story of a young Afghan boy named Amir and his journey fleeing from his home to the United States, as well as his later pilgrimage back to his war-torn country in search of a childhood friend. It was an emotional, riveting story that offered a unique perspective from that of my own, and I think everyone should read this one at least once.

• What has been your favorite non-EH course, and why?

I’m terribly indecisive, so I’m incapable of choosing just one of anything. I greatly enjoyed Intro to Sociology when I took it–so much so that I decided to minor in Sociology. It taught me a lot about myself and about the world around me that I didn’t know and would never have thought of prior to that class. I also greatly enjoyed one of my UH (Honors) Forum elective class with Dr. Mike Boynton. The class comprised of going to different events around Jacksonville and the surrounding area in order to broaden our understanding of performativity. It was a very fun and enlightening class that allowed me to experience many things I would not have on my own like visiting a mosque, seeing a ballet, etc.