The English Department is happy to celebrate Bonnie Swenson as their 2022 General English Student of the Year! Faculty sang her praises as they nominated her for this award: “Ask any instructor who has had the good fortune to work with Bonnie Swenson and you’ll hear a common refrain: ‘Bonnie made the whole class better!’ Bonnie is a remarkable individual who generously shares her thoughtfulness, curiosity, and experience with those around her. She brings an intellectually adventurous spirit and an openness to diversity into all her work. Whether in conversation or writing, her critical and compassionate approach to literature opens up new possibilities for understanding. Bonnie never shies away from the text of her own experience, either, and some of her finest work is that which looks to her own life in the contexts of her coursework. As a statewide student who took a nontraditional path to her degree, she exemplifies the ideal of a ‘lifelong learner.’”

Bonnie came to college to “check the box” that was a college degree. When she was beginning her tertiary education, she was passionate about writing the histories of her family. Through English, she knew she could improve as a family chronicler, but her studies expanded much further than she initially imagined. “I found a new path while on my journey at USU,” Bonnie says. It was a wild and fun ride to discover a passion I didn’t know I had until someone pointed out the possibility of a different path.”

The path Bonnie finds herself on now involves stories outside of her family. With the foundation of her Approaches to Research in English Studies course, she has further discovered the stories of women who were a part of the Hole-in-the-Rock expedition. About this local history, Bonnie notes, “This was an epic story that took place in Southeast Utah in 1879-80. I have spent the summer collecting information about these women in the context of where they lived and what they left behind in order to answer the call from their religious leaders to settle this remote part of Utah.” In support of this research project, Bonnie has been awarded the Charles Redd Center for Western Studies grant. She has traveled across the state to gather hidden nuggets of information about this unique bit of Utah history.

Some other notable moments at USU were in her American Writers course. In American Writers, students were asked to create podcasts. Bonnie, who had not ever listened to a podcast before, produced an incredible piece. She rose to the occasion when pushed out of her comfort zone and ended up voted best in class! The English 3470 research course taught by Dr. Joyce Kinkead became of particular note to Bonnie because it opened her up to the field of research. “As I have followed the women of the Hole-in-the-Rock expedition, I have come across additional stories that have created a desire within me to research other topics at the conclusion of my current project.”

One of Bonnie’s inspirations is Mary Clearman Blew. She appreciates the technique and style of Blew’s writing and hopes to write similar sorts of stories. Throughout her studies, she kept a quote from Charles Capp above her desk to encourage and inspire her dedication to writing, “Words are the most powerful thing in the universe… Words are containers. They contain faith, or fear, and produce after their kind.” In response, Bonnie said, “I hope to write words of faith and help others see their own value and potential. This is the most important thing I gained from my time at USU.”