When I applied to the Ph.D. program in German Studies at UMass Amherst, I wanted to research and write about film history. I had an M.A. in History already, and I took a course at another university about films from East Germany, in which I learned about the DEFA film library at UMass, which made me curious about the German program.
My experience in the German program was a combination of challenges and surprises that made me grow. I met colleagues among the graduate students and professors who were both supportive and critical readers of my work, which was crucial to my development as a scholar and teacher. I also engaged in many events and activities that the German and Scandinavian Studies program hosted. I took opportunities to organize graduate student conferences, and starting in 2008, I was the founding editor of the online graduate student journal, Edge.
All of my experiences in the German program have led to teaching positions that I have held at Clark University (Visiting Assistant Professor) and at Bard Microcollege Holyoke (Visiting Lecturer). My teaching experience in German and in English about German culture made a path for me to teach courses in German language, German film history, fairy tales from around the world, and even English grammar! I have also taken initiative to work with students to plan events for their peers, and I am beginning work on a zine to highlight undergraduate students’ work. I am also continuing to develop skills in teaching and mentoring students in the ever-changing landscape of higher education.
My research projects that I started as a graduate student also continue to influence my work. While at UMass, I researched Jewish-German literature and fiction films about the Holocaust, and my dissertation focused on the films about the Holocaust that Frank Beyer directed in both East Germany and after reunification. Today, I am working on a project about women and mothers in GDR cinema and media, with emphasis on Das Fahrrad (The Bicycle, dir. Evelyn Schmidt, 1982), which was directed by one of the few women directors at DEFA. In this project, I am exploring questions of equity and representation of women as mothers in the GDR.
My career journey is still on-going, and I know that I will continue to reflect on my experiences at UMass as I make decisions about the paths I take in the future.