Student Profiles
Student: Miles Walser
School: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Major/Minor: Bachelors of Individual Study (BIS) in English, Youth Studies, and Social Justice
HECUA Program: Writing for Social Change & City Arts
Who is Miles Walser?
Well, if you want to get technical, I was born in a suburb of Chicago, but I will always claim to be from Madison, Wisconsin. My childhood was a blur of books, television shows, and playing tricks on my younger sisters. I was the dorky kid that always raised their hand in class, wanted every teacher to love them, and somehow still managed to have friends.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
An artist, a teacher, a writer, a billboard designer, a guard at Buckingham Palace, a rockstar, a marine biologist…anything but a doctor. Needles make me faint.
Who or what has been influential/inspiring in your life?
First, my mom has been a huge influence on me, especially in ways that I don’t notice until far after the fact. She knows what her values are and always lives by them – if nothing else ever works out for me in life, I hope that I can always live a life I can be proud of.
Second, as an aspiring writer, two teachers in particular were huge influences for me.
Ms. Hyzer taught me how to be creative and how to trust myself as a writer – she was always encouraging me to seek out publishing opportunities.
Mr. Howe taught me that I don’t know everything about writing. Every paper I got back from him was full of marks and suggestions. That semester killed my GPA and cemented my writing skills, and I could not be more appreciative.
What’s an issue you care passionately about?
Right now, the most important issue to me is food politics. I feel strongly that Americans have a right to know where their food comes from and how it is processed. I have been reading a lot about eating locally and seasonally and would love to do work advocating for sustainable and healthy eating.
What interested you about the HECUA program you participated in? What convinced you to apply?
The program was called Writing for Social Change – what more did I need to know? I wanted to feel like I was doing something to help the planet, and I was fascinated with the idea that creative writing can be a social and political tool.
I then fell so in love with HECUA that I continued on to the City Arts program, where I was pushed out of my comfort zone and into the community. The draw to that semester was the amount of people I would meet and things I would learn about the artist community in the Twin Cities.
What was your most memorable field speaker or class activity and why?
The thing I will remember forever is dancing down Nicollet mall with Marcus Young. We were a part of his “Don’t You Feel it Too?” project that experiments with social norms and behavior by asking participants to dance in public. The activity came at a time in my semester when I was incredibly stressed and emotional, and I felt hesitant about participating. By the end of the day, I realized what a release it can be to just let your body move the way it wants to.
Where did you intern while participating in your HECUA program? What did you like most about your internship? In what area did you grow the most at your internship site?
I was an intern at Saint Paul Central Senior High in the Black Box Theater. The thing I loved most about my internship were the students I worked with. They were the motivation for getting up and going into work on the days I felt like staying in bed and sleeping. They taught me far more than I could’ve possibly taught them.
I grew as a facilitator and learned a lot about adaptability and working with the group of students you are assigned to teach to figure out the best way for everyone to learn.
What were/are your impressions of your HECUA program director and/or other teaching faculty that took part in leading the program?
Bill Reichard and Molly Van Avery are family to me. I have never felt more cared about by my teachers. They went above and beyond to ensure that I was having a great semester in all areas of my life, not just academically. HECUA allowed me to grow as a student, but really, it was Bill and Molly that allowed me to grow as a person.
How did this HECUA program make an impact on your life and how you think about your future?
The way I think about everything has changed. I feel more aware of the choices I make, and I act thoughtfully. I ask questions and seek out knowledge. I think the most important thing I learned in HECUA was how to learn. That tool is going to help me far after I graduate from college. I know now that I can be a learner forever.
What are you excited about? Or, what gives you hope?
People. I know so many people who are going to do huge things with their lives, and I know that there are still tons of people I have yet to meet who will also change my life. I have faith in people, in their ability to make change.When I see phenomenal examples of communities coming together, it makes me hopeful.
