Kathleen D’Aprix

Interview by Roberto Valle Mojica

What is your position at Plaza College?
Director, Library and Learning Resource Center

Where did you grow up, primarily, and where did you attend college? What degrees do you hold?
I grew up in a very small town outside of Syracuse, NY called Minoa. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Science in Secondary English Education from SUNY Geneseo.

Describe your experience so far at Plaza College.
Working at Plaza has been a unique experience. I had never worked with adult students before, which meant I needed to change my approach to teaching. I had never worked outside of the classroom. I’ve had the unique opportunity to be part of everyday interactions with students in the classroom and LRC as well as be part of the behind-the-scenes operations of the college.

How was your first day working at Plaza?
At that time, Plaza College closed for the first two weeks of August, and my first day was the day everyone got back from vacation. Everyone around me was scrambling to get back into his or her routine while I was just starting to find out exactly what it was I was supposed to do. It was a confusing, but exhilarating, day.

What has been your most memorable moment at Plaza College?
It’s hard to think of just one moment, but one of the most memorable was attending my second graduation ceremony. By this time, I had gotten to know many students very well, either through teaching classes or in the LRC, and it was just wonderful to see these people walk across the stage. I saw the sense of accomplishment and pride in their faces and I thought, “I had something to do with that.”

What advice would you give the students of Plaza?
Never underestimate your own abilities and be able to recognize when you need help. There is no shame in admitting you don’t understand something, but you are only hurting yourself if you don’t ask for help. The best students are those who speak up and ask questions.

What were you like as a student in college?
I was the quiet one who sat in the back when I was getting my Bachelor’s degree. I worked hard and would speak to my professors during office hours if I needed help because I was afraid to let my fellow classmates think I didn’t know an answer or understand an assignment. But, when I went back to get my master’s degree after working for a few years, I changed my ways. I would sit in the front, ask a lot of questions, and be the one to organize study groups. I never stopped working hard, but I learned the value of being an active participant in my education and benefited from that tremendously.

List three of your most important/proudest accomplishments.
I have quite a few accomplishments that I’m proud of, but three of them are earning my Bachelor’s degree, earning my Master’s degree, and being invited to participate in a writing workshop for teachers at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.

What are some aspects of your position that you like?
I truly enjoy working with students one-on-one in the LRC and collaborating with my fellow educators. Also, being part of the team of administrators who run the Student Services and Academics departments makes me feel a part of the entire Plaza College community.

What does success mean to you? How do you judge it?
Success is accomplishing goals, no matter how large or small, that you want to achieve to make yourself a more complete, satisfied person. Success in life doesn’t mean that you have the best clothes or the most money. It means that you are happy with what you have done, but are moving toward expanding yourself in some way. If you need an education to get a better job, you go after that education. Once you get the education, work on getting that job. Love that job? Great! Join a club, learn a hobby, or read some interesting books. If you can look at yourself in the mirror, and truly be happy with what the person looking back at you has accomplished and what he or she is doing now, then you’re a success.

What motivates you to put forth your best effort toward helping Plaza students?
I know that everyone coming through Plaza has the potential to succeed, and it is my job to help students realize that potential.

How would you describe yourself?
I am a dedicated and loyal person, always ready to learn from and help others.

Describe your most rewarding experience at Plaza.
It is wonderful every time I sit with a student in the LRC and he or she suddenly understands what needs to be done. In cartoons, you see a light bulb appear above a character’s head when he or she comes up with an idea. In reality, people’s faces really do light up, eyes sparkle, and smiles open wide; the light bulb is turned on in their brains, so that they can now see and understand what they couldn’t before.

Tell us a bit about the Writing Fellows progam.
Writing Fellows is a program that was set up to help students taking LL254 Composition and Research complete their portfolio projects. Since this is the first portfolio for many students, we felt they might need a little extra help when preparing research and getting reading to take timed writing tests. We get together a few times a term, anyone who’s interested, to go over different parts of the project and to offer a different perspective on what is learned in the classroom.

Tell us something about your life outside the classroom. Do you have any interesting hobbies?
I read a good deal, and I occasionally dabble in some writing. Every once in a while I try to learn a bit more about sewing (my mother’s a wonderful seamstress!) or try my hand at one craft or another. I truly enjoy camping, but don’t have many opportunities to do it.

What would you consider to be five must-see movies for any movie lover?
Unfortunately, my taste in movies is not exactly that of the average moviegoer. A sampling of movies I enjoy include Defending Your Life, Mighty Aphrodite, Inglourious Basterds, The Princess Bride, and The Fifth Element.

What do you remember most vividly about your interview at Plaza College?
I had a few interviews before I was hired, but the part of the process that I remember most vividly was teaching a demonstration lesson to Dean Dolla, Dr. Dee, Dean Zipf, and Mrs. Napolitano on grammar, with all of the administrators playing the role of Plaza students. It was nerve-wracking!

What makes Plaza so unique?
This is a place where people can attain their goals. Many of our students have not had success in education and/or in life, but through the help of the faculty, staff, and their classmates here at Plaza, they are able to accomplish their goals and move on to a bright future.