Henry Krusiewicz, Professor of English | Faces of Midland: Employee Edition
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Henry Krusiewicz takes great pride in building relationships with his students at Midland University. But an even greater source of pride stems from those connections built after graduation.
“I enjoy getting to know students, and I especially enjoy it when those relationships persist long after they graduate. It’s always fun to meet them in their new lives with new careers, spouses, and children. It’s very rewarding to understand that I played some small part in preparing a student for a path in life.”
Through teaching American literature, creative writing, critical theory, and composition courses, there are many lives Henry has impacted over the past 24 years at Midland. English has been a long-time passion for him, dating back to high school.
“I was inspired by my high school English teacher, Richard Chase. He taught me Melville, Poe, and Emerson in ninth grade. I wrote a response to Melville’s Billy Budd, and he nominated me for an award. He was thoughtful and kind.”
Henry’s love of literature was so strong that he spurned a career practicing law to pursue his passion of becoming a teacher. “I prepared for law school as an undergraduate, but the muse of creative writing called me away and led me to a path of literary study. I have never regretted this choice in my life because I love literature.”
Away from his classroom, you can find Henry catching up on his own reading. When he does put the book down, it’s a safe bet you’ll find him participating in some outdoor activity.
“I enjoy hiking and walking my dog. I also enjoy backpacking with my wife and children in the mountains of western America. It is beyond satisfying camping under the stars listening to coyotes howl far off in the distance while cooking beans over a campfire.”
Henry hopes his love of literature resonates with his students and wants them to experience the same joy he gets from cracking open a book. “I would tell students to read in their spare time and read books that feed your brain and soul. We live in a world of movies and films, most of which are fun, but many of which do little to help one grow.”
Getting to know Henry Krusiewicz
Snack that you can’t resist: Potato chips.
When flipping channels, I’ll always stop to watch this: The Weather Channel. I have to see the sweep of the Doppler radar. Will rain fall? Will the wind blow? Will the sun shine? Of course, the answer is yes to all, but I still like the certainty of it.
What artist dominates your playlist? David Bowie. The man was inspired.
What is your ideal vacation? Backpacking in Alaska with my family and fishing for king salmon near Bristol Bay.
What is your most used emoji? What’s an emoji? Oh wait, my favorite emoji is the one Eric Maczka (Midland Registrar) created for himself and his likeness. It is really cool and kind of funny.
