Mallory McMullan
I knew I wanted to go to a liberal arts college, but L&C’s emphasis on interdisciplinary and hands-on learning really appealed to me.
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What three words would you use to describe L&C?
What’s your favorite class? Why?
ENG 333 Major Figures: Oscar Wilde with Andrea Hibbard. Getting to spend an entire semester diving into the work of one author, especially one as complex and popular as Wilde, allowed me to really understand the readings in relation to both his life and the larger societal context. I also really enjoyed getting to write a research paper at the end of the semester and learn a lot more about something that had interested me during the course.
What made you want to come to Lewis & Clark?
The campus is beautiful and it seemed like such a supportive environment. I knew I wanted to go to a liberal arts college but L&C’s emphasis on interdisciplinary and hands-on learning really appealed to me.
What do you like or find most interesting about your major?
Through my English major, I get to read all sorts of literature that I never would have picked up on my own. There’s also a lot of freedom even in special topic classes to investigate and write about what you’re interested in.
What do you like or find most interesting about your minor?
Gender studies is such an interdisciplinary field, which means you end up using a lot of concepts from your GS classes into other courses and vice versa. You also get to explore a ton of interesting topics across local, national, and global perspectives.
Tell us about your support systems and social outlets on campus: people, activities, clubs, res halls, etc.
I was extremely lucky to meet my group of best friends really soon into my first semester. All three of us were in single rooms so we functioned as each other’s roommates, which has continued to be an amazing support system.
What advice do you have for incoming students?
Take classes in departments unrelated to your major or minor! Some of the most interesting classes I’ve taken are completely outside my fields of study. If you have the space in your schedule and something in the course catalog sounds intriguing to you, take it! There’s always concepts in every class that can be cross-applied to other departments and you’ll expand your wealth of knowledge no matter what.
Tell us about the upcoming Gender Studies Symposium. What has your experience as a cochair been like? How does this event complement your academic experience?
Being a cochair for this year’s symposium has been an amazing experience. Working with not only my fellow cochairs, but also the larger symposium community this semester has been a great way to hear people’s ideas of what they’d like to see at the symposium and how we can put on events that people will be excited about. It’s also so fun to be able to implement the concepts I’ve been learning about in my classes into the symposium and see the academic work being done in the field.
What’s one of the best spots on campus?
Anywhere in Watzek near the big windows. Especially when it’s raining, it’s so nice to sit and read or do homework in a little alcove and be able to look out right next to you and see so much beautiful greenery.
What’s your favorite thing about living in Portland?
The weather!! I grew up in the PNW so I already loved rain, but I feel like Portland especially comes alive in the rain. Hiking, walking around downtown, reading in a cafe, it’s all so much better when it’s raining.
How did you decide on your major?
I’ve always been a huge reader and talking about books is one of my passions in life, so English was an easy choice to make.
How did you decide on your minor?
I took a gender studies class one semester in high school and the things I learned really stuck with me. One of the wonderful things about gender studies is that it’s a part of almost everything we do and learn about, which means that no matter what classes I take or what I was going to major in, I knew I would get to use my skills across disciplines.
What’s one of your best Lewis & Clark memories so far?
Attending Susan Stryker’s keynote talk at last year’s Gender Studies Symposium was such an extraordinary opportunity. All the symposium events I’ve attended have been amazing, but having learned so much about Stryker and her work, and then getting to hear her expand upon what I’d already learned was so amazing.
