By Sarah R. Schwartz ’10

Poet and Adjunct Instructor of English Joseph Myers ’09M recently began a position as staff writer for the South Philly Review.  Myers, who graduated from Arcadia with an M.A. in English, says Arcadia prepared him well for his new career.

“The English Department has peerless instructors. They added dimensions to my personal writing that I hope to unleash on the world soon,” he says. “My Arcadia education helped me to gain necessary skills for my career path. I welcomed chances to explore any area of English studies and especially enjoyed the writing-intensive classes. I also lessened my ignorance of American writing and writers.” He specifically notes the quality instruction from Professors of English Dr. Pradyumna Chauhan, Dr. Hugh Grady and Dr. Richard Wertime, whose mentorship led to his professorship.

Myers’ pursuits at Arcadia continue to inform and inspire his professional and creative work. Having worked closely with Randall Couch, Adjunct Professor English, he says he’s learned to be more introspective with his verse. “I completed a collection of poems for my master’s project, and Professor Couch helped me to understand the power of each word in a composition. I have taken his lessons and have applied them to newspaper writing, where I have no choice but to make each word count.”

Following his graduation in May 2009, Myers became an Adjunct Instructor of English at Arcadia, enjoying the natural transition from student to professor. However, he continued to pursue his goal of becoming a professional writer, a dream he had fostered since the tender age of eight. He did this by interning and freelancing for the South Philly Review. After a yearlong internship, Myers was offered at permanent position at the newspaper.

Because of his own experience, he urges students and recent grads to perceive their professional journey differently. “The lumps you take while searching for jobs or while working less than stellar jobs build character, they are not hindrances.”

Myers and his wife, Nancy, live in South Philadelphia with their four cats. While he has elected to take a semester away from teaching to map out various responsibilities, he is eager to return to his teaching position in the spring. As for the future, Myers is focusing on becoming a dad, revisiting his two partial novels and completing his collection of more than 500 pieces of original poetry.