Brandy Kiger: Writer and Photographer
By Lauren Harris
Dream big
Brandy Kiger has always dreamed big. She will be leaving
the mountain town of Cullowhee in exchange for the wide-open
plains of Montana this fall. Kiger is a continuing graduate
student at Western Carolina University (WCU) and is finishing
her master’s degree in English. She looks forward to
graduating in May 2009 and plans to go into magazine editing
and publishing. She will travel to Montana to attend the photojournalism
program at the University of Montana where she will pursue
her passion for writing and photography.
Kiger graduated from WCU in 2006 and taught for a year as
a ninth-grade English and communication skills lateral entry
teacher. She had originally dreamed of teaching as a career,
but her struggles in education convinced her to return to
school. Regardless of her difficulties in the public school
system, she plans to teach again one day.
In addition to her scholastic achievements, Kiger is a graduate
assistant at WCU’s Career Services where she works as
the administrator for the Perfect Interview program and also
writes and edits the Career Journal, a campus-wide news letter.
Kiger spends the majority of her time reading and working.
She spends as much time behind the camera as possible while
working on her own fiction and non-fiction, which she hopes
to publish one day.
Words of wisdom
Writing is an important part of Kiger’s life. It provides
her with an outlet for creativity and communication. She believes
that poor communication is the basis for so many problems.
“Being able to write and to write well opens the door
to effective communication and opportunities,” Kiger
says. She values the importance of being able to communicate
well to help society understand what is happening in the world.
In her work and education, writing is everything; it’s
an expression of who she is.
Kiger’s education at WCU prepared her for her future
endeavors. It provided her with a broad range of experiences
and opportunities. She wrote for the "Western Carolinian"
and worked as an editor for the "Nomad." She says
that she may not have had these hands-on experiences at a
larger school.
For anyone majoring in English, Kiger suggests reading as
much as possible and reading thoroughly. She also encourages
students to take classes that will enhance their abilities
and push them to new levels.
Kiger’s ultimate goal is to love what she does and
to excel at it. Her journey through college and work continues
as she discovers more about herself, her passion for writing,
and her dreams for the future.
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