With a love for writing and dancing, Erin spends her last year at Gustavus enjoying both.

Although Erin Simon may seem quiet and shy upon first meeting her, her friends are quick to describe her as being bright, kind and as having an infectious smile as well as being ready to break out in dance at all times—just one of her many talents.

“Erin is a Gustie with so many talents,” Katie Asfeld, Erin’s roommate, said.  “She is a gifted writer, a writing center tutor, the organizational manager of Firethorne and a member of the Gustavus Dance Company, and she has the best taste in music of anyone I know. She truly has a passion for what she does, which is evident when you watch her dance.”

“One thing that is important for you to know is that she is always ready to dance, whether we are in our apartment or in the middle of a parking lot. She can really cut a rug.”

A Curriculum 2 student and English major, Erin has her hands full with a marketing internship with the library, her role with Firethorne and the Writing Center, as well as with a minor in dance, which is a big part of her life and one of her stronger passions.

“I began dancing when I was about eight or nine. My first performance was in Cinderella. When I came to Gustavus, I was impressed with the program but thought dance would be more of a hobby. I spent a lot of time in the studio [my first] year but the next year I focused on my newly declared major. I missed dancing so much that I was back at it again by junior year,” Erin said.

Erin enjoys taking dance classes and describes dance as a mode of escape from everything. She also enjoys the group of people she is able to work with.

“Everyone in the department is so willing to extend a helping hand if anyone needs help with something, for instance, with choreographing. There is just so much cooperation within the students, which is not just unique to those within the Dance department but with all of Gustavus,” Erin said. “I chose Gustavus because it just felt right. I knew I would be dancing and the department was what I was looking for. The other schools I toured made it clear that Gustavus was my school.”

When Erin first came to Gustavus, she had no idea what her major was going to be.

“I loved writing, so automatically I was attracted to a major in English, but I also loved that it was so broad. I get to learn, read and write about everything. The freedom in following my own course through the major led me to be able to combine my passion for dance with writing in my senior thesis,” she said.

“What I enjoy most about Erin is her playfulness, her intellectual curiosity and her beautiful scarves. She is just so genuinely interested in learning. While she always earns As, grades are not her primary motive in studying but instead to learn about herself and the world,” Professor Elizabeth Baer of the English Department said.

As a tutor at the Writing Center and an organizational manager for Firethorne, Erin has the opportunity to read a lot of other students’ work. Her favorite part about her role at Firethorne is reading the submissions, which she describes as a snapshot of what people on campus are thinking at that time and place.

“I really like how writing allows me to process things and pull together what I know. I love reading creative nonfiction and literary journalism. I had the opportunity to take the class Creative Nonfiction last year which was literally the class I was dying to take. I am even considering submitting some of my work from the class that I wrote about my experiences in Curriculum 2 (C2),” Erin said.

Erin was attracted to the C2 program and the opportunities it would provide which also attracted her to Gustavus. Coming from a small high school with a class of 28 people, the small community feeling of C2 was attractive as well as the learning experiences it would provide.

“I loved the idea of discussion based classes. The idea of knowing the same people and going through all of the classes together also sounded great to me. I have met some of my best friends through C2. The structure of the program really caters to my interest in linking all of my experiences and what I know together. Plus, I am absolutely a sucker for field trips,” Erin said.

One of Erin’s favorite memories at Gustavus was a C2 field trip to a monastery in South Dakota that she has had the opportunity to go to for three years now, although the trip is usually reserved for juniors.

“It provided such a fun learning environment. There were lectures but then there was all of this land around the monastery that we could run around and explore on. It was such a great time,” she said.

A fun fact Erin loves to share about her is sure to engage any listener.

“I am distantly related to the man who was supposed to be guarding Lincoln when he was assassinated. That is what I tell everyone when I need to cite a fun fact about myself,” Erin said.