Mack Curry IV
Mack Curry IV is a 3rd year Doctoral student at Georgia State University. He received his Bachelors of Arts in English in 2013 from Hampton University and his Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in 2016 from Old Dominion University. Mack currently serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, co-Social Media Coordinator for GSU’s Writing Studio, an Adjunct English Instructor at Clark Atlanta University, and a tutor for Now I Get It! Tutoring. His research interest is the use of Black English in Multimodal Composition assignments.
Learn more about Mack!
What brought you to GSU and Atlanta?
I came to GSU and Atlanta to start my PhD program.
What are you studying and why?
I am studying Rhetoric and Composition under the Lower Division Studies/English Department.
What are your goals for after GSU?
My goals for after GSU are to receive a full-time tenure-track position at a college or university, preferably in the Atlanta area. I also plan to continue implementing my research into future courses that I teach.
What’s a lesson you’ve learned from tutoring?
I have learned that all tutees cannot be approached the same way. Students, especially at GSU, come from a plethora of backgrounds, and they have come in with a wide variety of assignments. Therefore, you have to treat each tutee as an individual case.
What’s the most memorable thing a student has ever said to you?
The most memorable thing a student said to me was “I learned a lot today.” This was significant because we want to help the students, but we also hope that they learn something for the future in the process.
How has writing influenced your life?
Writing means everything to me. It’s been a major part of my life since I was 12. It’s what made me change my major to English as an undergrad, what made me pursue my MFA, why I’m teaching and tutoring today, how I express thoughts that I cannot vocalize, and why I haven’t given up on obtaining my PhD. It was taught me the important of effective communication. So writing hasn’t just influenced my life, writing IS my life.
What advice would you give to someone looking to get where you are now?
Stay on your grind, hustle hard, and NEVER let anyone tell you what you can’t do. Know that it’s not easy, but it damn sure (sorry for cursing) isn’t impossible. Also, take time to network. You can know everything in the world, but you’ll never get as far by yourself as you can with the help of others. Lastly, for my POCs (people of color), build a strong support system. We’re scarce out here, so best believe that support system is essential.