A Valpo Life in the Spotlight: Brooke Regier

Brooke Regier was born and raised in Valparaiso, and she doesn’t see herself leaving any time soon. Her love of literature and writing has been able to give her not only a rewarding career, but one that allows her to stay right here in her hometown.

“I attended undergraduate school at Purdue University Northwest, where I studied English writing,” Regier said. “Then, I went to Valpo University for my master’s and studied English studies and communication.”

During her time at Valparaiso University, Regier worked as a consultant for the writing center. After finishing her degree, she stuck around and became a senior consultant before ultimately being offered the position of coordinator for the writing center.

“I also started at Stanford University’s Great Books summer program in 2019, because one of my friends had done it the year prior and recommended me for it,” Regier said. “I was just a counselor the first year, and then I came back as the administrative staff. Now, I am at the program for it each summer.”

Regier knows that she’s one of the lucky ones who can use her strengths, as well as her interests, to build her career. For both the writing center and the program at Stanford, she had started as a student. For both, she was able to continue working there after she graduated.

“I do a lot of reading,” said Regier. “I read much more than I write. I used to write a lot more when I was younger, but I feel that my attention has shifted more to reading lately. It’s something that I’ll always enjoy, whether it’s professional, personal or creative, whatever it is, I just enjoy doing it.”

With her life immersed in reading and helping students develop their writing skills, Regier does not always have much free time. When she does, if she’s not reading for her own personal enjoyment, she enjoys playing soccer.

“I play for a women’s league here in Valpo. I have a really big family, and I love hanging out with them, spending time with them, with my fiancé, and learning about writing together. That’s been fun this year,” Regier said.

The love for education runs in the family. Regier said that one of her greatest inspirations in her life has been her older sister, Bailey, who is also a professor at Valparaiso University. While her sister teaches research, Regier thinks it’s interesting how their paths have intertwined so much and their interests have been so compatible.

“She’s always valued education and the pursuit of teaching,” Regier said. “She knows the importance of meeting other young women and helping them take the next steps in their education. She’s definitely been a big inspiration along with my parents. They encouraged us – me and all my siblings – to work. It’s just really fun to see them at our graduations and everything, feeling so proud.”

Regier has a guideline she always shares with the writers she works with: keep their vision in mind even when trying to fit within a certain writing structure. She knows that people can get bogged down by rules and standards and can lose sight of their expressed thoughts, and she wants them to stay true to themselves above all.

“Ask yourself, ‘What is it that I think about this topic, and how can I share it with my audience? How can I give my audience what they need?’ I think that’s very important to not lose sight of,” Regier said.

For more information on Valparaiso University’s writing center, visit www.valpo.edu/academics/learning-centers/writing-center.