​Alex Kinnaman 

Pre-Service English Teacher 
My name is Alex Kinnaman and I am a pre-service teacher getting my degree in English education, with a concentration in literature. Throughout my college career, I have worked very hard to engage myself with the communities which surround me here in Fort Collins, CO. I have worked as a Resident Assistant for CSU at Ingersoll Hall since 2019. This job has helped me develop an understanding of what it means to live inside of a community which I am constantly working to build. Through this experience, I have greatly developed my interpersonal communication skills, learned how to cultivate strong individual relationships, and a sense of community with a large group of people. I have also learned much of the administrative work which goes into developing and sustaining a large community. 

Another important piece of my work with community engagement has been volunteering for the Community Literacy Center at CSU with our SpeakOut! Creative Writing Workshops program, since 2018. Recently, I also began an internship there as well, starting in 2020. This work involves the facilitation of creative writing workshops inside Larimer County Jail, community corrections facilities, as well as with youth in the Turning Point halfway house. This experience has really shaped how I approach the process/act of writing and reading. I have seen great things come out of this workshop and have come to know the power--even just one hour a week--of a community dedicated to writing meaningfully. This approach is something I will carry into my classrooms, and hope to develop in my students as well.

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