Katie Baker is an associate professor of writing; discipline coordinator of English, writing, reading, and theater; and director of the First-Year Connections Seminar Program. Learn more about what brought Katie to Rosemont, her passion for teaching, and more.
Q: What brought you to Rosemont?
I graduated from Saint Joseph’s University and was looking for an MFA program in Creative Writing or Literature, but most of the schools in the area weren’t offering any, except Rosemont. I saw the advantages of a small student-centered and creative space here, and I loved it. I loved the campus the first time I saw it. I love teaching at Rosemont because I love our students. I love that I see them multiple times a day, inside and outside the class. They are inquisitive, they think of special topics, are willing to go the extra step and do whatever it takes to enhance their learning. They’re open minded, justice-oriented and work well in collaboration with each other.
Q: When did you start teaching at Rosemont?
A: I started teaching here part time in 2012 and moved to full time in 2014. I taught first- and second-year writing courses, and students have always seen the value of writing, and are always willing to dive deeper. That is a tangible feature that I have noticed from the first day I started teaching up until now.
Q: What has been your favorite class to teach?
I love all my classes but classes that are special to me are our courses that align with social justice. Moderate and Contemporary Literature in Social Justice is always a favorite to teach because it gets students to think about how literature impacts us socially and politically, and how it transcends over time. Empowered Through Prose, which is social justice and creative writing examines how much literature impacts how we treat others, perceive others, and who we are as human beings.
The Power of The Pen, which was halted by COVID-19, is writing about Philadelphia, and learning about the literary history of Philadelphia and Philadelphia authors.
Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of Rosemont?
Outside of Rosemont, I love reading, writing, running, yoga, and tennis. I have a 21-month-old son who keeps me busy. I live in Fishtown, which is full of literary history, and my favorite places are Amalgam Comics, The Head and the Hand, and Harriett’s Bookstore.
Q: You recently attended a literary immersive experience. What was that like?
This summer, I was able to do a two-week immersive experience in Concord, Massachusetts on Transcendentalism and Social Reform: Activism and Community Engagement in the Age of Thoreau. There were 25 of us selected from all over the world, some from Alaska, California, and Germany. We went to different literary landmarks and heard from scholars about the role of transcendentalism in the abolition movement, women’s movement, and other justice-oriented causes. It was fun to sightsee, meet others from different institutions, and be immersed in culture while hearing from indigenous speakers. There were a lot of topics and thoughts that I am excited to incorporate in my lessons with my students.
Q: What advice would you give to college students?
To be yourself, enjoy the experience, and take advantage of all the opportunities that come your way. Don’t look too far into the future and forget to live in the present. Enjoy the time in and out of the classroom. Enjoy being with friends, sports, clubs, activities, anything that makes you happy because the time is short that you’re in college, and you don’t want to miss anything. If you enjoy the present, you will finish college happy about the choices you made, and happy with the opportunities you had.
