#SDSUGrad: Megan Mueller

Over the past year, the San Diego State University community has shown its true resilience. Graduates from the Class of 2021 are no exception. During this unprecedented time in human history, the university has prioritized providing students with important services like virtual academic support, emergency financial assistance and other support services. In particular, SDSU Career Services continues to offer resources for students, including the online career platform Handshake and expanded virtual programming and advising.

In this series, we highlight graduates as they prepare to embark on the next chapter of their lives, including those who have secured jobs and internships or are moving into advanced studies. 

Name: Megan Mueller 
Major (and minor): Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Minor in Learning Design and Technology
Hometown: Visalia, Calif.  

Can you describe a little bit about yourself and what led you to pursue English literature as an area of study?
I’ve always loved to read, and every library I’ve ever walked into has felt like a home. In order to bring that kind of experience to others, I wanted to gain a degree in English, and move toward pursuing a master’s degree in library science. I just hope I can inspire others, especially young children, in the ways that I was inspired to learn more about our world in whatever I do.   

When did you decide to pursue graduate studies and what did that process entail? When did you receive your graduate program acceptance?
My decision to apply and pursue a career in library science was a more spontaneous decision I’d chosen in late January. I was actually on my break at work when I got the email that I had been admitted into the master’s program at San José State University! It was such a weird feeling, because I hadn’t been expecting to see the email come through for another month, and yet two weeks after I submitted my application, I was admitted. It still feels unreal, but I can’t wait to go forward and start my coursework in the fall. 

What advice do you have for fellow students, regardless of their field, looking to attend graduate school post graduation?
There will never be a time in your life that you will not be scared about the future. I used to think I had everything planned out perfectly when I was in high school, applying to colleges my senior year. Life is absolutely unpredictable, and the future you might have wanted doesn’t always come out as the future you actually get. You can’t let the anxiety or fear of failure keep you from ever moving forward. It really stinks, sometimes, and you wish you could just go back five years to high school when you lived at home and life was way easier, but nothing comes of wishing you could go back to the past. It all depends on what you do from this moment forward, so make mistakes, and keep your head up! 

What is it that you are most looking forward to as you kick start this next chapter?
I cannot wait to start working in a library as part of an internship with my graduate program. I really would love to openly discuss children’s literature more with little kids and broaden their horizons with books with way more diverse casts than what I grew up with. I can’t wait for the day that I walk into a storytime circle and share a book that inspires children, just as I had been inspired a long time ago. 

How did SDSU prepare you for success not only at the university but after graduation?
Living in the dorms was one of the most challenging, yet rewarding parts of my undergrad experience. Being able to meet so many new people, and forge new friendships that have now lasted my entire undergraduate career is a rewarding experience I would not trade away for anything. 

What experience at SDSU has changed your life the most?
I was able to take a few classes from the award-winning children’s author Matt de la Peña while completing my degree, and to say that those classes changed my life is an understatement. De la Peña is an amazing professor who has always cared about his students, and he pushed us to achieve much more than we ever imagined we were capable of when we were in his class.