sydney mlodnosky
major: creative writing
i was nervous about meeting new people and seeing if i fit in the program, especially as a mother returning to school. to my happy surprise, though, i’ve met lots of kind people and exceptional teachers who have given me the confidence i needed to gain my degree. . . . read more
hayden takahashi
major: english
class of 2018
i was drawn to snc by the beauty of tahoe, without knowing what i wanted out of college. i found my home in the english department. . . . read more
luke isaac hupp
major: creative writing
class of 2017
i love literature and writing, and i have had a dream of teaching and writing for a long time. i have lived in hawaii, tennessee, and oregon, which have such different cultures and environments it was challenging to adapt. i have heard many stories, and met some very interesting people, and had many different experiences. i want to reimagine these tales and people and places in a new world. . . . read more
angel gonzalez
major: psychology
class of 2017
my inspiration is always to inspire change, acceptance, and holistic thinking. i want to challenge people's perspectives and my own biases. . . . read more
ryan knuppenburg
major: psychology
class of 2018
getting involved in a relationship that was extremely dysfunctional after high school really got me interested in the topics of mental health and well-being. educating myself was the only way for me to heal after that terrible experience. my classes at snc have transformed my way of thinking, especially my psychology classes. . . . read more
anza jarschke
major: fine arts – new genres, psychology
class of 2013
after finishing my masters in social justice and community organizing from prescott college, i returned to snc tahoe to work as the gallery director. it's an exciting step in life to be able to come back to a place that provided me with so much at a formative time. . . . read more
maggie burns
major: psychology
class of 2014
one of my jobs as the psychology department intern at snc was to help with student advising, which got me interested in college prep and planning for high school students. now i'm getting my ma in counseling with an emphasis in school counseling, and a pps (pupil personnel services) credential for counseling k - 12. . . . read more
nicole ross
major: english, psychology, teacher education
class of 2018
i loved reading with my mom when i was young, and even now that i'm older, i am just as excited to read and share stories. i decided to turn my passion for reading into a teaching career after my eighth grade teacher, mrs. wolff, inspired me. now that i am at snc, i have been able to volunteer and teach in classrooms all over incline. i feel that my experiences here at snc have allowed me to grow in nearly every aspect of my life. . . . read more
ryan donoghue
major: english
class of 2016
during my time spend away from academia, i developed an insatiable appetite for literature and realized that our orientation to the world depends on the language we use to define it; studying literature fosters that growing and knowing. . . . read more
terra breeden
major: english
class of 2016
my journey to sierra nevada college began on a three-month trip to explore indonesia's bleached islands, remote villages, and mystic jungles. by the end of the trip i was addicted to travel, and i needed an education to turn my love into a career. i thought i would teach english and got interested in journalism. then i took travel and adventure writing and my love for travel, photography, and writing - all the pieces of my life - fit together into my dream career. . . . read more
bryce bullins
major: english, music
class of 2014
my undergraduate professors drove me to be a better student and a better person, but they also gave me the space and the encouragement to find my own way. i gained confidence and validation as an artist and a critical thinker. when i decided to pursue poetry at a more serious level, the stellar faculty and low residency model of snc's mfa in creative writing program made it an easy decision. . . . read more
teresa rafello
major: psychology
class of 2016
i chose to major in psychology because my personal experience got me interested in how we let ourselves think, why we accept difficult situations, and how we work toward viable solutions. i've been challenged on many levels in the program, and it's fine tuned my focus and determination to amazing levels. my senior research project has been the most strenuous journey of my academic career but it has paid off - all the students in my senior experimental design course have been accepted to present our research at the stanford undergraduate psychology conference in may! . . . read more
zachary birdsell
major: psychology
class of 2016
i have been working with clients who have mental disabilities since i graduated from snc. as a case manager, my responsibilities range from one-on-one counseling with clients to supervising group homes. . . . read more