Graduation—this event for me, as I’m sure it is for other seniors, is so close that I swear I can almost taste it. My name is I’m Amanda Niemann, and I attend UNG (Dahlonega) as an English: Writing and Publication major and Business Administration minor.
In a roundabout route I came to UNG as a Fall 2015 transfer, and there is one main reason that UNG stood out to me: the mountains. UNG is in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, which I have always loved. My family has gone camping in these mountains nearly every summer for as long as I can remember. This area has always given me a sense of peace and relaxation—though my senior year seems to be doing the opposite!
The prospect of being a “real” adult in less than a year is stressful and sometimes terrifying, but some of what I’ll be doing in the next nine months or so will be exciting. One of the main things that has me looking forward to tomorrow with a smile on my face and determination in my step is working with the University Press.
I loved the English language growing up. I read all the time and even wrote a few stories. But, contrary to what you might expect from someone working on an English writing concentration degree, my dream is not actually to be a writer. My passion is in proofreading and editing. I love taking a piece that someone has poured themselves into and making it even better. Words can be so powerful, and I think that sometimes it just takes a little love and care to make them shine.
That is why I am so excited about spending my senior year with the Press. Over the next year I will have the kind of opportunity that most seniors can only dream about—to spend time before graduation working in the field that they dream about. Since my dream career is as an editor in a publishing house, I am delighted beyond imagination. I am really looking forward to inching my foot in the door before graduation. I’m hoping to get an idea for how the business works, as well as get a sneak preview of what my life could be like in the publishing industry. I am truly ecstatic about this opportunity, and am looking forward to learning as much as I can.
