Blog Post 6 - Mike Roche

I think the identity I feel most comfortable with is "independent scholar." Probably the one I feel least comfortable with is "research collaborator." I'm adequate in the "student" department; however, one of the reasons I seek an MFA is because I can feel myself reaching a threshhold for the amount of academic course material I am willing to engage in. I don't yet feel comfortable with the "teacher" one, as I've never taught before, but I am excited to try to be a good one. But back to the one I identify with most: "independent scholar." I consider myself one of these because I read literature. Like Michelle, I prefer reading primary texts over the secondary ones which analyze the primary ones so, in this sense, I wouldn't consider myself an aggressive independent scholar.

If you consider poems and other kinds of art "research," then I suppose I am a research collaborator because I'm always sharing my findings--i.e. my poems--with other researchers--i.e. other poets. I think it is very cool to browse through the Virginia Tech Electronic Theses and Dissertations and find creative work from MFA students who've published and graduated. I also like how I can use ProQuest to obtain copies of creative dissertations from some of my favorite poets at other universities throughout the country. When I think about the fact that I'll be publishing a creative dissertation at the end of my three years at Virginia Tech, I become more comfortable considering myself a research collaborator.