Author and high school English teacher
Natalie Abbott Walston, a former Ohio State Marion student, has had a successful career in writing and education. She attended Ohio State Marion from 1992 to 1994 and credits the English department for giving her a solid foundation in writing that has served her well in her various careers.
Although she did not finish all four years on the Marion campus, Walston said, "Ohio State Marion really opened up my eyes to writing." As an undergraduate, she took graduate-level creative writing classes and received support and encouragement from the English department. "I think the foundation and the support I received from the English department in Marion really helped with that," she said.
Since graduating, Walston has had a diverse range of jobs that have all utilized her English skills in some way. She started as a reporter at WOSU Public Media and filed reports with Ohio Public Radio before moving on to anchor the news during All Things Considered and teach communications at Miami University. She then worked as a TV news reporter at NBC4 in Columbus before transitioning to public relations for lobbying associations, where she wrote and edited magazines, press releases, and spoke to the media.
Currently, Walston is a teacher in the Las Cruces, New Mexico Public School System, working with special needs and ESL students who are struggling with writing. She is also in the middle of authoring a book about grief and has obtained a literary agent.
Walston shared that her English degree from Ohio State has been instrumental in advancing her career. "It's all about how you use your degree," she said. "I knew I could write, and the professors in Marion were so encouraging. I loved all of my English classes." She credited her Ohio State Marion education with giving her the skills and confidence she needed to succeed in a variety of fields.
For incoming first-year students considering an English major at Ohio State Marion, Walston recommended the small, supportive environment of the campus. As a single parent at the time, she said she found the campus to be a perfect fit for her needs. "Every single career I've had is because of the quality education I received starting with Ohio State Marion," said Walston. "It's perfect to start in such a small, caring environment."