MFA student Emily Rosolowski Purdue University's Representative at the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools
On January 19th, second-year costume design MFA student Emily Rosolowski received word from the Office of the Provost that Purdue had selected her to represent the university at the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS). After receiving the Theatre and Dance Department’s award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching, Emily has now been selected as the single representative from across Purdue’s campus to represent Boilermakers master’s level graduate student instructors.
Emily came to Purdue from Michigan State University, and has, since her first semester on campus, shared equal passions for both costume design and teaching. When asked what drives her focus in the classroom, she replied “I love teaching because of the connections I make with each of my students. I love watching their confidence grow through sewing and sketching. The best moments are when they want to show off their work to friends and family and want to continue being creative outside of the classroom.” Costume design is an opportunity for students to create fully formed characters from their imaginations. It also involves hands-on making; her class includes script analysis, drawing, discussion, historical research, and presentation as well as basic sewing skills and practical experiences backstage in live productions.
Mentorship is important to Emily, inside the classroom and in the costume shop. The award and nomination highlight her “principled approach to instructional design to improve student learning” and her “personable teaching style, connecting what her students are doing with previous work and general principles.” As someone dedicated to learning all she can, Emily is also pursuing the Certificate in Instructional Design here on Purdue’s campus, taking courses in pedagogy outside of her regular course load in the department.
The Department of Theatre and Dance, the Costume Shop, and all of her students are so proud that she is representing Purdue University! Congratulations Emily!