Jeremy Flick has been an amazing staff member of #bsuenglish since September 2019, over in RB 2115. Jeremy completed both a BA in English and an MA in Creative Writing at Ball State, and he completed his MFA in Creative Writing: Poetry at University of Kentucky. Not only was Jeremy a Ball State English student, but he also took advantage of the graduate assistantship program, where he was able to teach English courses during his Master’s program. We are so thankful to have Jeremy Flick on the #bsuenglish team!

Jeremy’s Ball State Experience

How would you describe your position?

Most of what I do is compile graduate student information to maintain records and make sure they will graduate on time. It also involves working with students and faculty throughout the year on things like admissions, enrollment, and others.

What does a day in the English Department look like for you?

My typical day involves a lot of emails and work in Excel. Often times I will talk to faculty about different goals and how we can achieve them.

What do you like best about working in the English Department?

The Ball State Department of English is full of generous, kind people that genuinely care about their students (and staff).

What help can students generally receive from you or other staff in your office?

My work specifically centers around English graduate students. They can come to me with any issues involving scheduling, course registration, or paperwork issues, among other things.

What did you study during your time at Ball State?

I studied Creative Writing at Ball State for both my BA and MA. This involved a lot of writing, but the BSU Department of English creative writing majors (BA and MA) are built around multi-genre study, which helped round out my writing. There were also immersive learning opportunities that helped build my experiences, like editing and working with elementary students.

What drew you to the English Department at Ball State during your studies?

After having many different majors (English was my fourth!), I noticed how much I enjoyed the English courses. That combined with my love for creative writing made the decision quite easy.

Did you have a favorite class or outstanding professor that you would recommend to current students?

I could name all of the professors, but I think Mark Neely influenced me the most. I had him in the advanced poetry course, where I saw my writing flourish, and he convinced me to apply for the graduate program.

What did you teach as a graduate student at Ball State?

During my time as a graduate student at Ball State, I taught the First-Year Composition courses ENG 103 and 104. These courses are taken by every student from every major which leads to a dynamic classroom environment.

What are your favorite things about teaching?

I love watching students grow in their writing from the beginning of the semester to the end. It is really fulfilling to know that I helped students learn how to better write, a skill which will be beneficial to them throughout the rest of their careers. I also enjoyed the ability to bring different mediums (multimodal) into the classroom to illustrate the concepts we were discussing in class. It gave me the freedom to make the class fun and interesting.

About Jeremy Flick

How does your English major help you to this day?

My English degrees have really helped me in communications. Communication has been a major part of my life, as I’ve been teaching for five years and now work with students and faculty daily. On a more basic level, my experience with the graduate program in the BSU Department of English makes it easier for me to work with students and their graduate studies.

Favorite part of campus?

I think Shafer Tower is my favorite part of campus. It’s such a simple centerpiece, yet it’s always surrounded by beautiful flowers and, despite its location, always peaceful.

Are you working on any projects at the moment?

I have just presented a paper on horror movies and affect theory in which emotions are transmissible between bodies at the Louisville Conference On Literature & Culture Since 1900. I’m also trying to continue writing my poetry.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I enjoy audio/video editing, making high quality (HD) gifs, and spending time with my two dogs.

As a past English student, what advice would you give to current students?

Don’t procrastinate. Write your best work then revise it and write more. Don’t be afraid to try something new.