Hi everyone! I am a senior Secondary Education at Hope College, with plans to become a social studies teacher in the West Michigan area after graduation. Besides taking classes and working for Big Read Lakeshore, I also work for the Hope College branch of TRIO Upward Bound and am active in Hope’s Swing (Dance) Club. In my free time, I enjoy seeing friends and family, hosting concerts for myself in my kitchen, and rewatching Shrek and The Wedding Singer just a little too often.
Role on the Big Read team:
I am active in many areas of the Big Read, especially with developing teacher resources and helping with events. This is my first year working for the Big Read team.
What is your favorite part of the Big Read and what are you most excited about for this year’s program?
I love a good author/book talk and try to go to them as often as I can. This year’s authors and illustrators are phenomenal, and I’m very excited to help run events and interact with our special guests!
What is your favorite genre of books and why?
Historical fiction is my favorite book genre. I love how there is an element of escapism for readers, but the stories are anchored in a real time and place. I’m also fascinated by how people live across time and culture, and reading historical books exposes me to new perspectives outside of my modern everyday life. Plus, it has a lot of sub-genres. Some of my favorite historical fiction reads are A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles and The Help by Kathryn Stockett.