Natalie Gregg, English/education senior, aspires to teach the next generation about literature.
Gregg is from Norman, Oklahoma, and is the eldest of five children. Gregg said she discovered her passion for teaching at an early age, shadowing her mother who also works in education.
“When I was in middle school and high school, she would have me go out and volunteer and help teach, and I found that I really enjoyed doing it, and as time went on, I found I was pretty good at it,” Gregg said.
Gregg said she first came to OCU because of the performing arts.
“I’m not involved in theater, but I really like theater. My senior year I went to a performance of ‘The Magic Flute,’ and I had a friend who was on campus at the time. It got out late, so I just stayed with her,” she said. “The next day, she showed me around the campus. Everybody was just really friendly, and I was really impressed by the campus. That was what solidified my decision.”
Gregg began at OCU going down a different path than she is now.
“I actually started out in elementary education because I liked working with the younger kids,” Gregg said. “I had done a lot of work with kids, a lot of volunteering at different museum educational programs, and I really enjoyed that.”
At the end of her sophomore year, Gregg said she discovered a new passion.
“I had known for a few years that I wanted to go into education, I just wasn’t sure what area. I took the English classes that are required of everybody, and I found that I really enjoyed those classes and the professors that I worked with,” she said. “I think it’s fun to write essays, which I know is a weird thing, and I think that was the sign for me.”
Gregg said her love for English inspired her to switch from elementary education to English education. She is now a double major in both subjects.
“That’s where I feel most comfortable in is teaching English, because it’s something that I feel passionate about,” Gregg said. “Why shouldn’t I encourage other people to feel passionate about it?”
Gregg said Tracy Floreani, English professor, made an impact on her studies.
“I ended up taking my Comp I class with her freshman year, and she really challenged me to be better, and I enjoyed the way she taught,” Gregg said. “I tried to take a class with her every semester if I could help it, and I think there were only two semesters I didn’t get to have with her. She actually mentored me through my senior English project.”
Floreani said working with Gregg was a fulfilling experience.
“Getting to see her evolve over four years has been a really rewarding experience,” Floreani said. “She started out strong, and seeing how she evolved to be an even better critical thinker has been really impressive.”
Gregg said juggling her two majors hasn’t been too difficult.
“I enjoy both of them, so it didn’t feel too overwhelming,” Gregg said. “I really enjoy reading, so when I get a reading assignment for class, it doesn’t really feel like work.”
Gregg said people with double majors should use the tools made available to them.
“If you’re a double major, definitely try to cultivate those relationships with your professors and use the resources that they offer because it will make your life so much easier if you’re willing to accept a little help,” she said.
In addition to her two majors, Gregg is a member of Phi Mu sorority and Sigma Tau Delta Honors Society. She also serves as the co-editor in chief of The Scarab.
Gregg said she lives by the mantra “If I look back, I am lost” from “Game of Thrones.”
“What that mantra means for me is that I can’t focus on what I’ve done, I just need to focus on the future,” she said.
Gregg said she plans to teach for three years before getting her master’s degree. She said she wants to teach at the middle and high school level.
Floreani said Gregg will be a great teacher.
“I think she’s a really generous spirit, which is something that any future teacher needs,” Floreani said. “When she decided to move from elementary education to high school, I was really happy, because I think she has the kind of intellect and the kind spirit that will really reach some teenagers that need a teacher like her.”
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