Katelyn Foster

Name:

Katelyn Foster

MSU Degree:

BA in English, 2021

Current position:

Librarian, High School, 7-12 Grades

Favorite memories of being an undergraduate English major:

It is hard to choose one memory from my time as an English major, but the first moment that comes to mind is when I changed from a STEM major to an English major. I was nervous to change my degree plans, but I immediately felt welcomed. My Comp II instructor celebrated with me as I turned in the major-change paperwork, and through the years that followed, every English advisor was incredibly helpful and supportive. There are an infinite number of undergraduates in a STEM major, and it was easy to hide in the back of the room. As an English major, I never felt alone. With a small department, I loved that I could walk into a new semester already familiar with my professors and peers. A handful of us in my year had nearly the same schedules for most semesters and worked on The Reflector together. Nothing beats having one study and peer review group for multiple literature classes.

When you graduated with a degree in English from MSU, what were your plans for your future? Has your career path mostly realized those early plans, or have you discovered new plans and goals along the way?

Through my time as an English major, I steadily began to realize that I wanted to be an English teacher, so I started my alternate teaching route through the Teach Mississippi Institute at UM in my last semester. After graduation, I discovered that becoming a teacher was not one huge goal but a series of smaller goals. I started as an assistant teacher then moved to an English teacher position, and now, I am the school librarian. I had an idea of becoming a librarian during my undergraduate days, but graduate school was not in the cards for me at the time. When I was an assistant teacher, the librarian told me about the Library Media Praxis, so I earned that endorsement for my teaching license, and after teaching ELA for a few more years, transitioned to the librarian role when she retired. Even though I have only worked at one school, I have had different roles, which is unique. It is more common to have to move schools in order to also move roles.

What is your current occupation, and what does your work mostly consist of?

I am a librarian for a small, 7-12 grade public school in Mississippi. My work mostly consists of technology triaging and curating the best selection of YA for my students. I am Tech Team leader, so I oversee our Student Tech Team in resolving the computer and technology issues for our school. Even though I enjoy solving a good computer mystery, I love the days when classes visit the library to check out new books or for other book-related activities. One misconception of being a school librarian is that it is boring. The best part of my daily work: No two days are the same. If anyone thinks being a librarian is boring, then they haven’t seen what actually happens in a library. Not only is it a technology station and the best place to find a book, but it is also a community center for the school. We are the go-to stop for technology, computers, books (of course), book clubs, research, etc. When I am not helping a student find a book or solving their computer issues, I am researching books, ordering books, cataloging books, organizing the spelling bee, supervising Beta and their service projects, assisting teachers, and sending so many emails. I love the variety in my days and being able to support students and teachers in my school.

Which skills that you learned as an English major do you use most in your job?

Through my English degree, I learned how to dig deeper in literary analyses, which helped me be able to teach students how to do the same. The skills gained from my degree can be translated into every facet of my career. In short, I have used more skills from my English degree than my education classes because studying literature leads to a better understanding of people.

What additional skills did you need to learn in order to do your job, and how did you learn them?

Many of the additional skills I needed to learn for my job couldn’t be learned from a textbook or lecture. From teaching English to being a librarian, I learned so much while on the job. My first year as a teacher was described by others as a “trial by fire” experience. I had to learn how to adapt and pivot on the fly.

In what ways does your career enrich your life and help you to achieve your personal as well as your professional goals?

I get to help students and teachers in a community that I love while surrounded by books. Even though there are hard moments, there are more days when I am grateful for my position and students.

What advice do you have for undergraduate English majors right now who might want to follow the career path you did?

Sometimes the path takes unexpected turns and has a few potholes, but that’s normal. Keep learning and adapting as you go along.

[Updated November 2026]