My Manchester journey began when I was born in 2005, with my father being a recent graduate and my mother working in admissions. My first day out of the hospital saw me in the old admissions building. As I grew up in and around North Manchester, I was adamant that I needed to go out of state for college, having frequented the same streets, restaurants, and people for the past 18 years. However, after myfreshmanyear at North Central College in Illinois, I decided that Manchester was a better fit for my personal and academic needs,ultimately decidingto enroll in a last-minute trip to London in January 2025.
I entered my sophomore yearatManchester with uncertainty in my area of studies, switching from my original marketing degree to environmental science and eventually biology.The classes I took were interesting, but there was an academic itch that I wasn’t able to scratch.An anxious aura surrounded me as I prepared to travel to London for my first January course:The Development of Scientific Thought. In London I was exposed to superb education through primary sources and first-hand experiences under the direction of our supervisors Dr. Greg Clark and Dr. Steve Naragon. For the first time in years, I had fun learning about the world around me. Itwasn’tthe science that interestedme,it was the history of it: how Newton discovered the laws of motion, how the world slowly accepted the heliocentric solar model, and how different technologies advanced over hundreds of years. This excitement for learning empowered me to pursue a career in what I have always enjoyed most: literature.
The following Spring semester I changed my major to English and enrolled in classes that sparked my curiosity. Through my World Literature course with Dr. Beate Gilliar, Prison Literature class with Dr.StacyErickson-Pestski, and an impromptu East Asian History course with Dr. Uma Ganesan, I discovered that not only do I love literature, but I love the conjunction of literature and history. I eventually added a history minor.These courses sparked my curiosity with works likeThings Fall Apartby Chinua Achebe, a novel about a native Igbo tribe in Africa being influenced by British colonialism. This novel encouraged me to take a Modern Imperialism course with Dr. Ganesan, in which I really enjoyed engaging with the brutal history of imperialism.
My Fall semester led me to take British Literature II with Dr. Jonathan Watson, where we readNorth and Southby Elizabeth Gaskell, a novel about the industrial revolution and the social impacts that came as a result. This novel required me to reexamine humanity’s relationship with nature, and how the industrial revolution helped shift that relationship from one of mutual harmony, to one of domination and exploitation. This relationship is something I considereveryday, andis something I continue to reference. The same semester I was introduced to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay “Nature” in American Literature II with Dr. Katherine Ings, in which I further engaged in a discussion about humanity’s spiritual connection to the natural world.
For the first time in my life, I was hungry for more knowledge and opportunities to learn about the world around me. As I continued to enroll in classes, I started to understand the mass amounts of knowledge that I lacked,butinstead of being discouraged, I recognized it;Icontinueto work towards closing that gap. Engaging in discussions about the human condition indifferent historical contexts has made me a better person, allowing me a better understanding of history, strengthening my ability to look at today’s world with a historical critique, and reinforcing my empathy skills.
Today, I continue seeking opportunities to expand my knowledge by reading broadly across time periods, cultures, and genres.By learning about the history of our world, I hope to improve our world’s future by teaching literature.
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Chris Rohr is an intern for the Office of Marketing & Communications during Summer 2026.
The Manchester Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is prepping for its 88th season. “I am thrilled about this music!” said Conductor and Artistic Director Debra Lynn. “Mark your calendar now because you don’t want to miss a note. This year, we’ve made a special effort to balance our repertoire more evenly between new, diverse works and familiar, beloved symphonic standards.” The season begins with A New World concert on Oct. 4 at 鶹ԭ’s Cordier Auditorium, featuring the “New World Symphony” by...
Dr.Brad Yoder,professor emeritus of sociology and social work,wasone of three Hoosiersrecognized as aPioneer in Social Workby the National Association of Social Workers Foundation(NASW)at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.in early June. Yoder was inducted into the 2025 and 2026 Pioneers program classes, created to honor social workers who have made significant contributions to advancing the profession. Yoderspent more than five decadesestablishingthe high standard to which social work can achieve when compassion is paired with courage, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to...
Four new members, including threealumni, have joined 鶹ԭ’s Board of Trustees. D. Randall Brown ’87 ofFort Wayne, Ind.,returns to Manchester’s Board of Trustees after 10 years off. He spent three years asBoardChair. Brown earned his bachelor’s degreein political science and businessfrom Manchester in 1987, before completing his Juris Doctor at Indiana UniversitySchool of Law-Indianapolis.He is nowlitigationdepartment chair and Fort Wayne managing partner at Barnes & Thornburg. Healsoserves on the boards of Greater Fort Wayne, Inc., Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership,...
