Suzette Mack

I am a returning student, fulfilling a long-time dream of focusing on my writing gifts so that I might ultimately share them with others. I am in my second semester in UTEP's online MFA in creative writing program. My first semester was a lot of fun and I am looking forward to what comes next!

I am an occupational therapist and have dedicated much of my life to helping others find and refind their journeys in life once interrupted by illness, injury and other things that can lead to disability. Prior to becoming an occupational therapist I worked as a certified nurses's assistant. I loved my work and it was the beginning of my career working with the elderly. My work as an occupational therapist led me on a journey in which I met many, many wonderful people. I loved the challenges of working with someone who was recovering from a stroke, traumatic brain injury, surgery, bone fracture, debilitating illness, and more. My work with the elderly eventually led to me working within a hospice setting, where I learned much more about grief and the process of letting go and learning to travel life's transitions. I would say that all the patients I worked among as an occupational therapist were facing some sort of life transition...and for many, their reason for needing to work with me correlated to their need to figure out a way through grief. The loss of a limb, the loss of the use of one's arms and/or legs, the loss of being able to drive, the loss of one's health, the loss of one's vision, the loss of one's memory and memories...these are some of the things my patients and their families were working through.

I took some time off from my work in occupational therapy. My life was changing a bit and I ended up working in church administration. it helped me work in a place that matched my values, and continued to give me the opportunity to work in a care-giving capacity among those that society often casts away. My work has been fulfilling, but my drive to segue to a new journey has continued deep in my soul and finding UTEP's MFA program in creative writing is a perfect fit.

My future goals include teaching. I also am looking forward to using creative writing as a tool among those who are grieving. I can envision using creative writing with people experience the grief of losing a loved one, those who have experienced grief, those facing poverty, and more. Writing is a perfect way to take what is inside one's head and soul, and put it out tangibly in some way. It might be through poetry, painting/drawing words, typing on a computer, using collage, or even acting out the words one says that can be part of healing.

I look forward to continuing in the MFA program at UTEP as I continue to formulate the work I will do next. My most immediate plans include helping a local hospice with their patient journal program, implementing my ideas into creative worship art formats at my church, and working on a book I am writing about grief. I am also working on a play that brings to light the plight of many of our elderly who end up living in some type of nursing home setting. I still have many opportunities to work among the elderly through the company my family owns (Caring Transitions in the Heartland - a senior move management company) and plan on putting together a workbook for families to use when they experience the myriad of transitions they face with their aging parents.

Thank you so much.
Suzette Mack

Volunteering with Hospice
Working with Refugees new to America (helping them learn English and other resettlement needs)
Doing volunteer work with people who are homeless
Learning Spanish within a Spanish ministry where I work

Fiber artist (knitting, felting), painter, photographer, creative writer
I love being in nature - walking, camping, hiking, bird watching
I love animals and my pets; I am an animal advocate and work to rescue wildlife
I love to travel, especially to Colorado (where I grew up) and New Mexico
I volunteer at my church a lot - I am on the Peace and Justice Committee, the Greeter's Team and The Visual Arts Team. I also help with homeless needs, and contribute to the food pantry outreach and refugee outreach programs.