This academic year, Professor Julie Lartz joined Wilkes University as a visiting instructor in the English Department.

Originally from Clarks Summit, Pa., Lartz is dedicated to teaching, helping her students make a difference in the world and sharing her love for the English language. Before being hired as a visiting instructor for the 2018-2019 academic year, she was an adjunct professor at Wilkes and has been an educator for a total of 19 years.

Previously, Lartz earned her associate’s degree from Keystone College, a bachelor of the arts degree in English from Marywood University and earned a master’s degree equivalency from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Unlike other professors on campus, Lartz is currently enrolled as a student in the graduate program at Wilkes University to earn her master’s degree in education.

“I love it,” she said. “I absolutely love it because I love going to school. I never want to stop going to school and I’m a student here myself,” Lartz revealed happily when asked about earning her degrees and how it feels to be a student at Wilkes herself.

Her constantly growing love for learning, education and english has been prominent through most of her life.

To Lartz, the campus offers a sense of home and belonging like no other place does.

“One student wrote in his essay in one of my English 101 classes that from the first moment he stepped foot on the campus of Wilkes University, he immediately knew he belonged here. And I felt the same exact way, I really felt like [Wilkes] is where I belong,” said Lartz. “I love it here. I love the atmosphere, the students, the good work ethic and the fact that many students are just like me, where you’re the first one in your family to go to college.”

Outside of her teaching at Wilkes though, her hobbies include reading lots of books as often as she can and sewing.

In the past, Lartz revealed that she owned a bridal shop for 14 years where she became a seamstress. However, when she became an educator, she discovered a new love for teaching.

Above all, being an educator and helping her students understand the world around them with the power of language, is a joy for Lartz which makes her new position at Wilkes even more special.

Lartz has a special place her heart for teaching students at Wilkes University and her love for English grows every single day. Although it is a subject every student is required to take within their time at Wilkes, many people have fallen in love with the language and its meaning similar to how Lartz has.

“Language is power and language is our power. The more you learn about language and the better you become at it, the more power you have. We don’t need anything else but our language to be powerful,” Lartz responded when asked about what her favorite part about teaching English.

Lartz teaches the amazing aspects of the English language and how everyone has the power to write their own story.

While she is in the classroom inspiring students and sharing her interest in reading, writing, and English as a whole, Lartz is incredibly excited for the semester ahead.