Dr Jennifer Bryan received her BA in English with minors in Sociology and Political Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She received an MFA in fiction from Bowling Green State University and a PhD from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This semester, she’s teaching four sections of Eng 103. 

How would you describe yourself as a teacher?

I would describe myself as balanced, and I try to be fair in the classroom while creating high expectations and standards so students can challenge themselves. I also try and introduce topics and discussions that students can engage with and be interested in. I want students to feel invested in the class and critically see their environment.

When are your office hours?

11-12:30 MW, 10-12 T, and by appointment

What are you reading?

Kent Haruf’s Plainsong

What do you think everyone should read?

I think people should read what interests them. There are so many books and genres in the world, and in order to be passionate about reading, one has to be passionate about what he/she is reading. There is value in reading, and when students tell me they don’t like reading, I say they aren’t reading the right books. By right I mean what is of interest to them, not what they think they should read.

What’s your biggest pet peeve in the classroom/what is a big mistake students tend to make?

Texting in the classroom is annoying, but pretending one isn’t texting can be even more so. I tend to feel mistakes are villified in our culture. We only improve and learn about ourselves by making mistakes. We’re all afraid of failing, and yet through failing I’ve learned the most about myself and what I want. In terms of students and the classroom – I think students who miss class regularly tend to dig themselves into a hole. It gets easier to miss as the semester wears on because of sickness, cold weather, lack of sleep, lack of assignment.

What are you working on right now?

Grading papers. In my creative work, I’ve just started writing a new novel. It’s super new. Like three pages new.

What are your other hobbies?

I love to bake. Cooking comes a close second. I love to drink coffee and hang out with my family. I love binge watching Netflix series. I look at a lot of art, talk about a lot of art.