Marilyn Kallet - A Poetic Influence

There’s never been a better professor than Marilyn. She believes in her students ambitions and supports them beyond their school years.  Even though my talents have always been in a creative writing field, she supported my dream of becoming an attorney. She wrote letters recommending me for the local law program and assisted me in developing a plan as an english major for improving my technical writing skills outside of my creative writing talent.  Although I never followed through with my initial dream of becoming an attorney, I did realize my full potential as a technical writer.  Today as a technical writer for the Department of Energy, I have achieved levels of writing I could have never imagined during my college years.  I have earned respect in a government setting as a technical writer with an unlimited potential for growth in a field of technical writing expertise.

Marilyn and I first met in a poetry class at the local college.  She was teaching poetry then.  Today, she is director of the English department.  Although she has devoted a great portion of her life to ethnic and diverse teachings of the Jewish religion and her development as a woman, she helps others without a prejudice heart.  She doesn’t favor young girls because of their ethnicity or sexuality.  She favors all students with a true passion for writing and expression.  She knows how to inspire others to use their heart and their mind when putting words on paper. 

Even now, 4 years after graduation Marilyn keeps in touch.  She invites us to poetry readings when new books are published.  She sends emails to ask how life is treating us (her students).  Just as in the past, she encourages us to reach our full potential regardless of what our dreams were and are today.  She keeps up with our present and tells us of what other friends/students are doing.  She is the model of a true professor/mentor/teacher.  One who doesn’t fill her time was sacrificed for the good of others.  She loves what she does to help others learn and reach their full potential.  She inspires others to do good things with their lives, and she doesn’t expect anything in return.  So again, I must say, there is no other professor like Marilyn.