A Q&A with New English M.A. Alumna Morgan Akers

Morgan Akers
2023 Graduate of the Department of English’s M.A. Program
She/her/hers

In this conversation, Akers talks about combining her passions for English literature, classics and teaching as a graduate student; her career goals in the museum and nonprofit creative sector; the value and bonding power of humor in the classroom; the importance of practicing communication and self-care to avoid academic burnout; her love of puzzle and quest-based video games, especially the ‘Zelda’ series; and the joy of spending time with friends, family and her dog out in nature.

Editor’s Note: Akers has also been an amazing and indispensable member of our college communications team during her time as a student here. Our team and the Dean’s Office congratulates Akers on her graduation, and we are so excited to see the wonderful things she’ll do next!

Q: Tell us about your academic passions, research and/or what you studied within the college. What excites you about this?

Before coming to graduate school at the University of Arkansas, I earned my degrees in English literature and classics at Hendrix College.  As I settled into my fields of study, I began to see their interconnected nature. 

In English classes, I would look for the influence of classical literature to use for my essays and projects. In classics courses, I was most interested in literature-based classes rather than language or history. During my time as an M.A. on the generalist track, I found myself leaning into this intersection. 

No matter what type of literature I was studying, from a seminar on the novels of Charles Portis to a class on adaptation theory, my research always investigated the impacts of the ancient world – especially epic literature and mythology. 

What excites me most about these connections is that once you start looking for them, you can find them everywhere. You begin to realize just how far the influence of the ancient world reaches.  And, as you engage with modern iterations of ancient stories, you begin to understand bits of the human experience that transcend time. And the space between the past and present shrinks with each connection you make.

 Q: Can you tell us a little about your career goals and plans for after graduation?

After graduation, I’m going to move back home to central Arkansas. I’ve enjoyed my time living in Northwest Arkansas, but it’ll be such a relief to be closer to friends and family again. Having gone right from high school into college into graduate school, I haven’t experienced life outside being a student yet. 

After taking a break this summer, I’m going to see what opportunities are available, particularly in the museum field. I’d like to get involved in that area since it blends together entertainment, education, community engagement, artistic endeavors, and creative spaces.

Q: What were some of your favorite memories of your time at the college and why?

One of my favorite memories from my time in graduate school happened in the classroom. I like incorporating teamwork and games into my lessons as a way to foster community building; the game I like most is what I call Know Bowl (like a team style jeopardy with an opportunity to steal points). 

To encourage engagement and incentivize learning, I let the class vote for a reward at the beginning of the semester and keep a running score from each time we play. Since Know Bowl is a content review game, I don’t let students have anything out on the desks, especially laptops and phones.

During a particularly heated game, with each team in the running for first, a boy accused another team of cheating and pointed to a phone that was out on the table near them. When I questioned the girl accused, she denied it. 

I was at a loss, totally surprised and unsure what to do. It was a review game! The stakes were minimal! Who would go so far as to cheat when asked about the parts of a rhetorical situation?

After denying it was her phone, the accuser said, “look at the case it has flowers on it!” 

I turned back to the accused, shock in my eyes. She was a great student, kind, involved in class, and seemingly just as confused as I was. 

Suddenly, the accuser laughed and said, “I’m just kidding, it’s my phone.” 

Upon which I let out a huge sigh of relief, and the entire class erupted in laughter. The innocent student adding between laughs, “I was even starting to second guess that maybe it was my phone.”

We finished the game in good spirits and bouts of laughter. 

While it might have frustrated other teachers, it was a welcome distraction in my class. It was the first time that I saw my entire class all engaged and laughing together. Not only did it give me a sense of joy and levity, but it also opened them up to creating the sense of classroom community we strive for as educators. 

I also just found the entire situation absurd and hilarious and was reminded that having fun is a key part of learning.

Q: Now that you’ve reached the graduation milestone, what advice would you give to current students striving to do the same?

There is nothing I more ardently recommend than practicing communication and self-care. 

It took me a while to feel comfortable communicating my needs with my professors; I thought only emergency situations constituted asking for an extension and that missing class for a mental health day was lazy. This is not the case! 

Over the last two years, I’ve practiced communicating with my professors about any struggles I faced, both in and outside the classroom. In doing so, my professors were able to help me be the most successful version of myself that was possible at different times.

I also discovered that you must practice some form of self-care consistently. 

For one of my friends, it was making time to be outside; for another, it was taking Sunday afternoon to redesign her nails. For me, it was playing video games. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was lifesaving for me. 

When you’re doing so much reading for class and research, it can be a hard activity to maintain for leisure. Plus, when you’ve had a long day of classes (both as a T.A. and student), you come home exhausted and mentally drained. I found myself watching TV for hours because it was a passive, easy activity to rest during. 

But, by finding games I really loved to play and that took some time to work through, I was able to engage in an activity that was totally outside the type of work I did for school. By solving puzzles, exploring the open world, and working through quests, I was able to foster a sense of achievement and accomplishment that left me feeling satisfied and reenergized. 

Regardless of what form of self-care you choose to practice, protect it. 

Without down-time – true breaks that aren’t focused on academic or work productivity – the burn-out will set in immediately and impact every aspect of the academic experience.

Q: What do you like to do during your time outside of work or the university?

Outside the university, I like to do activities that are different from those I do for school and work. 

One thing I love to do is take my dog for a walk. Getting up, disconnecting from technology, and spending time with her, helps me to recenter. It allows me to slow down, be intentional with my time, notice little things about the world around me, and practice gratitude. 

I also really enjoy playing video games. One of the benefits of gaming is that it allows you to connect with people virtually. Since most of my close friends live far away, we’ve been able to use gaming as a way to stay connected.

Q: What’s up next on the horizon for you?

For my immediate next step, I plan to take the summer to rest and heal. 

My mother passed away unexpectedly last spring and finishing my degree has been the biggest challenge and accomplishment of my life thus far. 

I’m looking forward to using the space between finishing school and finding a job to slow down, reflect, and process. 

I am excited to reconnect with myself and my interests. As is typical, a lot of activities I love fell to the wayside during my time in school, like cross-stitching. 

I can’t wait to read (just for fun and not class!), play the upcoming Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and discover what new hobbies I try.