Chris Lu (who formerly went by Saul McGuire) had much success in his senior year. He thrived academically and served as a representative for the English Department, all while working towards a larger goal—to become a librarian in Seattle. For Chris, completing his English Literature degree has been a big step towards reaching this goal.
As a nontraditional student, Chris’ undergraduate path wasn’t always linear. Chris has been in college before, considered ministry, and served in the military before his time at Seattle University. “While I was in the military, I was working in logistics, sorting and putting away parts. I liked the idea of getting into archiving, and then I realized there’s a lot more openings, especially in [Seattle], for digital media and information and being a curator of that kind of thing. I moved to Seattle to eventually go into this specific program…It’s nice to set a goal and see everything line up along the way.”
Chris’ hard work will culminate this fall, when he begins the Masters in Library Information Science program at the University of Washington. From there, Chris aspires to work as a research librarian, “learning how to more efficiently find information for people, how to consolidate that information, and how to file, curate, manage, and archive information and forms.”
As for his time at SU, Chris notes, “I want to express my gratitude to the English Department and the professors I had, because I wouldn’t be getting into the program that is literally my dream if it wasn’t for them.” He also advises peers to “put your head down and charge through, it’s over before you know it, and see you on the other side.” Chris served the department as a student representative to the Student Outreach and Professional Development Committee, where he engaged in student recruitment and retention initiatives, and helped plan career and grad school information workshops.
Outside of the academic setting, Chris has spent the summer break traveling the West Coast with his husband and their dog.