Joe’s piece, “The Enduring Legacy of the 2010 Kalamazoo River Oil Spill,” was published in Belt Magazine in 2019.

“Initially, I chose English 322 as a means of narrowing down my interests within the University’s English department. In this pursuit to refine my interests, 322 ended up introducing me to some entirely new ones. I knew I liked to write and to read, but had minimal practical experience writing as an occupation, outside of occasional high school journalism and sporadic creative submissions to the Daily. As far as the classes I took at Michigan go, 322 was one of the most generative.”

“To say that 322 has great bones even before the introduction of multiple journalists is evident in the way it motivates writing outside the classroom. In whole, the result is a course with boundless creative freedom and plenty of support, both academic (Prof. Hinken will encourage whatever you choose to work on) and professional (you frequently workshop with a journalist) that is as challenging and multi-modal as you decide to make it. 322 is a course unique to Michigan, and is a worthwhile semester regardless of your big-picture goals postgrad. To practice any form of writing with the guidance and feedback of multiple professionals on a bi-weekly basis is a rare opportunity that I was lucky to find in 322.”

“In working with both Anna Clark and Prof. Hinken in 322, I found opportunities, creative freedom, and genuine interest in environmental writing. Anna taught me how to write a successful pitch, and I continue to use that skill today. I still write, research, and paddle rivers. I’m currently working on a piece highlighting the corroded industrialization along the Rouge and Detroit Rivers. I used a lot of my research and workshop skills from 322 to write an Honors thesis my senior year through the English department. I also manage a vegan kitchen in town.”