Student worker in the spotlight: Kirsten Rodning

WELCOME BACK, KIRSTEN!

The Hill Freeman Library and Spruill Learning Center got some good news this semester: Kirsten's back! Kirsten Rodning, a 21-year-old senior, has toiled at the library off and on throughout her Reinhardt career, with the exception of a couple of stints working at the SERF lab and the bookstore. It seems she can't stay away from us, and we're glad.

Kirsten, an English major and History minor, says the Tolkien class she's currently taking with Dr. Graham Johnson is probably her favorite of all the classes she's taken at Reinhardt, with Dr. Johnson's Arthurian Literature class and Dr. Donna Coffey's Monsters & Demons class close runners-up.

Despite having an great love of books and reading, Kirsten didn't always plan to be an English major. "I considered a lot of things before I decided that...there is no other major that I could ever be happy with," Kirsten says. "The professors are all amazing. I get to read so many great books, and the class discussions are always fun!"

Since Kirsten likes to read so much, the library is a great fit for her. "I like to be able to see the selection of books we have every day! I always end up checking out more books than I can carry home." Kirsten's borrowed so many books during her three years here, she plans to return the favor and donate books to the library from her own collection before she graduates next December.

"Kirsten is a wonderful student worker," says technical services librarian Joel Langford. "Her passion for books and reading is evident as she performs her library tasks. She is very detail-oriented which is a plus in a library. After losing her to the bookstore for a while, it is great to have her back in the library."

Kirsten, who lists her grandfather John Hicks and famed primatologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall ("She's just amazing)" as her personal heroes, said she's not really sure what her ultimate career plans will be. "I once thought my ultimate goal would be to start a library system in rural parts of South America, but that seems like a pretty big goal," she says. "I suppose I hope to be an English professor someday."

Library director Michael Martinez, for one, would encourage Kirsten to pursue her dreams.

"Kirsten is extremely intelligent, and a very hard worker," Michael says. "If more students were like Kirsten, they'd all [be successful]."