From writing to roleplays: ASU grad shares her experiences as a student, worker and creative force on campus
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2024 graduates.
Grace Peserik, a writer for ASU Student Life and a communications aide for the School of Politics and Global Studies, spends her time outside of work writing fiction and playing tabletop roleplay games.
Now, as she prepares for graduation this spring, Peserik reflects on both her studies as an English literature major through The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and her favorite memories as a Sun Devil at work.
The start of Peserik’s academic career at ASU was rather untraditional. She started taking classes during the COVID-19 pandemic in fall 2020, which was a difficult adjustment compared to the normal trajectory from high school into college life.
“It made my first year of college feel like we were in a limbo state,” Peserik said. “It was very odd for me personally because it is much harder to meet people and make friends when you are essentially on lockdown in your dorm.”
Since the height of the pandemic, Peserik has adjusted and found friends and communities she can engage with on campus.
Work experiences on campus
Before taking on her dual communications positions for Arizona State University as a student employee, Peserik began as an office aide for the ASU School of Art. Throughout her professional work experience, Peserik has had a wide range of responsibilities that have helped prepare her for entering the job market post-graduation.
“A lot of these positions have taught me to be more willing to advocate for myself and to feel confident in the things I am doing,” Peserik said. “As a writer, it is really critical to have those good communication skills.”
Perserik first honed her prose as a creative writer, working through genres ranging from young adult to sci-fi and fantasy. During her time with ASU Student Life, she has worked closely with many Sun Devils to help tell their stories on and off campus.
“One of my favorite pieces I’ve written at ASU Student Life was about a roleplaying game through Solis Diaboli,” Peserik said. “It was one of the first stories that I pitched, and it was a fun piece to write.”
When asked about the importance of her work at ASU Student Life, Peserik expressed a sincere appreciation for the stories she got to tell during her employment. One of the latest pieces she worked on was about the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, also known as WIC.
“That one was a fairly big undertaking and took a lot of work to make happen,” Peserik said. “I am very proud that it's out there.”
Peserik enjoyed her time as a student employee at ASU and highly recommended it to other Sun Devils searching for reliable and adaptable employment.
“Student jobs are a great way to meet other people that aren’t necessarily in your major or academic program,” Peserik said. “Who doesn’t want to get a job that will also work around your school schedule?”
Life as an ASU student
One of Peserik’s favorite memories as an ASU student came about through a forensic anthropology class she took in her first year, a course she selected to fulfill her major’s science requirement. It taught her early on to explore the wide range of classes available at ASU, even if it isn’t one she would normally go for.
“I was told I needed to take a science class, and it was the only one that sounded particularly interesting to me,” Peserik said. “I learned so much about the human skeleton and the different ways to identify people based off their skeletal structure. You can tell what gender someone was assigned at birth from different aspects of their skull alone.”
During her time as a Sun Devil, Peserik has found hobbies outside of work and class, predominantly manifesting in her involvement with Solis Diaboli, the classical civilizations club at ASU alluded to above. She began her time with the club as a traditional member and eventually took on the role of president, having held office for close to two years.
“Solis Diaboli is essentially a bunch of people who enjoy Greco-Roman history getting together and playing games related to that,” Peserik said. “As president, I mostly planned our meetings and any of the fun events that we hosted.”
One of the events Peserik cherished during her time with Solis Diaboli was an escape room she helped build for their team. Peserik and others transformed a classroom into a wild, Greek mythology-themed space.
“The club members definitely made the escape room unsolvable,” Peserik said, reflecting on that night with a smile. “They broke more than one puzzle in trying to get out, but it was really fun, at the end of the day.”
Not only did Solis Diaboli give Peserik a community of friends on campus, but it also connected her to her long-term boyfriend.
“Not to sound mushy, but one of my favorite memories as a student has to be meeting my boyfriend here,” Peserik said. “I technically met him through Solis Diaboli, but I didn’t acknowledge him fully until we had a class together. From then on, he and I became very close friends and then ended up dating.”
In Peserik’s own words, all of her creative work also ties back to tabletop roleplay games, a hobby that she and her friends can join together in, suspending belief and relishing in a uniquely innovative atmosphere. Peserik gets to not only play these games, but she also takes on the role of writer from time to time, developing the plots and settings her friends then get to explore.
“I’m excited for this upcoming game we’re starting up,” Peserik said. “I’m writing a very weird Star Wars-esque story and making my friends play it. Our first session is next weekend.”
After her graduation this spring, Peserik is looking forward to pursuing a career that involves writing, such as content writing or running social media accounts for large companies. Her dream job is to one day write fiction full-time.
To find Peserik’s work for ASU Student Life, read more of our student stories here.
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