Creative writing alumnus sets out to pursue his dreams
The first time Dakota Williams tried college, it didn’t work out too well. Now, the Victoria resident has a bachelor’s degree under his belt and is setting out to earn his master’s.
Williams graduated from Texas A&M University-Victoria in May with a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing. Now he’s preparing to set off to the University of Houston to work toward his Master of Fine Arts in poetry.
“My experience at A&M-Victoria was much deeper than I thought it would be,” Williams said. “I’ve made connections here that will last a lifetime.”
Williams graduated from high school in Topeka, Kansas, in 2016 and enrolled in college near his family. However, that initial attempt didn’t work out. In 2020, his brother got a job in Victoria, and Williams moved with his brother to try for a new start. Once they were settled, Williams chose to enroll at Victoria College, where he rediscovered his love for literature. That led to his enrollment in A&M-Victoria, where he started delving into his passion.
“I knew I wanted to write, but I wasn’t sure which direction to take,” he said. “Once I started taking classes at A&M-Victoria, I started to get a better understanding of where I can take a writing career.”
Once he began taking English and creative writing classes at A&M-Victoria, Williams met two associate professors who would become mentors for him: Anthony Madrid and Nadya Pittendrigh. While both had different outlooks and approaches to writing and teaching, their passion for literature and writing inspired Williams as he worked to earn his bachelor’s degree.
“Anthony Madrid and Nadya Pittendrigh covered so many avenues,” Williams said. “Dr. Madrid dove into the wild, creative side and had an almost childlike love of language. Dr. Pittendrigh showed me more about the practical lessons and real-life applications that would help me create a career in writing that would pay the bills.”
In addition to typical classwork, Williams took part in a special project through Pittendrigh’s “Professional Writing” class and the university’s Nonprofit Center that partnered students with area nonprofit organizations to help write marketing materials, social media strategies and grant requests for the organizations. Williams worked with the George Washington Carver Legacy Foundation, which awards scholarships to the alumni and descendants of the George Washington Carver School.
After learning from Madrid and Pittendrigh, as well as the other faculty members at A&M-Victoria, Williams came to the realization that he wanted to become a professor. He wants to inspire others the same way that he has been inspired. With that in mind, he is excited to set out to the University of Houston’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program to begin his journey toward earning a doctoral degree and one day inspiring students of his own.
“We’re very proud of this man,” Madrid said. “Lord knows we like to see talent around here. But Dakota has more than that. He has discipline – and the desire to grow. He's going to make a name for himself, no question.”
As he moves forward into this next chapter, Williams is grateful for those who supported him as he navigated earning his bachelor’s degree. From faculty members including Madrid, Pittendrigh and Brooke Garcia, director of the Nonprofit Center, to his academic advisor, the university community supported him throughout his journey, he said. More than his experiences with faculty, he also is grateful to his fellow students in the poetry workshop classes, who offered feedback, encouragement and friendship during his time at A&M-Victoria. He also is grateful to his mom for her ongoing support and encouragement.
“I can’t say enough how much her support has meant to me,” he said. “I never would have had the courage to enroll in college and try again without her.”
Texas A&M University-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the colleges of Business, Education & Health Professions, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, and Natural & Applied Science. A&M-Victoria provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as online classes that students can take from anywhere. The university supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.