Caprielle Lang has served as the first Student Assistant to the UW Slavic Department of Languages and Literatures for almost two years. This past June marked her graduation, earning degrees of a B.A. in English with a concentration in Creative Writing, a B.A. in Global Literary Studies (GLITS), and a minor in Textual Studies. Following her conclusion of the position, Caprielle reflected on her time in the department as both a student and an assistant.
“After wrapping up my freshman year, it grew apparent that I desired to be more involved with the community on campus at UW. I knew I wanted to find my place in the big bubble, but I wasn’t sure where I fit. I took a walk on campus at the beginning of my sophomore year, and outside of the Husky Union Building, I saw an A-board promoting a new major named Global Literary Studies. It listed classes like Fairies, Genies, and Monsters: The Romance Genre in India and The Queerness of Love, and I knew in that moment that I had just found my next steps. Around the same time, I stumbled upon an application to be the Slavic Department’s first Student Assistant, and as the days went on, everything fell into place.
Serving as the Student Assistant provided me with a community in a multitude of ways. While I developed a relationship with departmental staff, looking forward to their hellos every morning, I deepened my relationship to a community of people who have an affinity for literature. Hosting and supporting departmental events led to new relationships with students and exterior departmental staff (such as those in the Textual Studies field) and taking GLITS courses allowed me to connect with students of a shared passion. Promoting GLITS through posters, First-year Interest Group talks, and digital marketing efforts allowed me to express creativity and initiative in new ways.
It has been an absolute privilege to serve the department in the ways I’ve been able to. The skills that I developed as the Student Assistant and a GLITS student will be useful long past my time at UW. I am forever grateful to have been able to be a part of the department during my undergraduate years, and I will cherish all the individuals, classes, and moments that I keep close to my heart from this period.”