Schroder: Act Two
by THE CLASS
Maryann Schroder grew up in upstate New York, about an hour-and-a-half from New York City during the 1950s and ’60s when children had a lot of freedom to roam about. As long as she headed home when hearing the family dinner bell, she could be gone all day without anyone being worried. She considers it to have been an idyllic and safe environment for childhood exploration.
Perhaps that sense of freedom contributed to her resistance in high school to being contained in school all day. It was pretty easy to just walk out the door, affording a situation she took advantage of regularly. Unfortunately, that’s called truancy! As a result, the best advice she ever got was something she deduced after being confronted by her high school principal at the time of graduation. He reminded her that, in spite of good grades and having never gotten into any real trouble, her record of absence was not something to be proud of. From this, Schroder came to realize that it’s not just what you accomplish that matters but how you go about it – your integrity and character. This became a wake-up call and the most meaningful advice she ever got.
She has applied this advice to endeavors since then, including academic studies. After receiving an undergraduate degree in psychology and a doctorate from Fordham University, Maryann has worked in the field of psychology. She decided to return to school to begin a new area of study after moving to Georgia. UGA seemed like “the best opportunity for a new adventure”. Schroder took spring and summer courses, including one on rhetoric, with her sights set on journalism courses through Grady College. She is now at Grady as a part-time, nontraditional student, not pursuing a degree “in a traditional sense of preparing for a career.” Maryann said about her work in psychology, “It is something that I enjoy, but I would like to explore writing.” “It is a time of new beginning,” she added.
When asked where she saw herself in 5 years, Schroder paused before saying, “I think that question has a different weight at different times in life.” She acknowledged being a senior citizen now and not sure what that would feel like in 5 years. However, she was certain about the general direction. “I see myself as contributing to a broader understanding of the world around us.”
Although she has not done work as a journalist, Maryann’s favorite writing project so far was about her encounter with a homeless man in Athens. According to Schroder, the story is her favorite because it allowed her to take a personal journey through which she had to confront her own reactions to the realities of homelessness and to this individual. “It wasn’t published. I wrote it for myself, but I loved writing it because I learned something about the world and my community,” she said.
Maryann imagines that she would prefer to use a recorder over a notebook while interviewing. She thought that carrying a notebook, for her, might become more of a prop than a true tool. She also thought that it could be a barrier, as people may find it intimidating to see their words being transcribed. There is less distraction with a recorder, she said, though she would still carry a notebook to record her own thoughts, impressions, and questions during the conversation.
Schroder enjoys reading fiction, satirical essays, and journalistic nonfiction. One of her favorite books in recent times was The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. She described it as an inspiring work of historical fiction about an Irish girl who immigrated to America and, upon becoming an orphan, is raised by slaves on a plantation. Maryann loved this book because it is an inspiring and powerful story about the meaning of family and identity, exploring issues of free will and determinism at the same time. When asked about her favorite author or journalist, she said that two came to mind, first citing David Sedaris. Schroder explained that Sedaris writes humorous essays about his life in a way that reflects on absurdities of life. She enjoys looking at those kinds of things, particularly contrasts that are in our everyday lives. The second author she cited was Malcom Gladwell, a journalist who offers unique perspectives on different aspects of life, often centering on social phenomenon.
Maryann Schroder is not yet envisioning a departure from UGA since she has just gotten started! However, she expects that, when that time comes, she’ll miss interacting with the bright and vibrant students of UGA.