Meet Sam Kise

Meet Sam Kise

Where are you from?

Originally from a tiny town in Northeastern Minnesota called Hoyt Lakes. It’s about an hour straight north of Duluth, MN.

Tell us a little bit about you.

First and most importantly, I have 2 tuxedo cats, Chappie and Sushi. I am a huge book nerd - I read over 60 books in 2022! I love sci-fi TV shows like the Expanse and Stranger Things. I also love trying new restaurants.

If there was a movie about your life, who would play you and why?

I think Chrissy Metz, because we’re both big, funny ladies. 

What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?

Read! Or watch Netflix. Pretty much anything that allows me to relax and get out of my own head.

What’s a ridiculous fact about yourself?

I am absolutely terrified of any flying animal and insect, but specifically butterflies scare me so much.

What part of your position provides the most value?

Just being able to learn more about the Fargo-Moorhead community. I haven’t been in this position long, but I’ve already learned about so many businesses and events that I never would have known about.

Tell us about your experience.

I come from an English background, and most of my experience is with higher education. I have taught in the North Dakota University System for about 5 years now, teaching college composition to a mix of college and high school students. I also tutored reading and writing for a couple of years to K-12 students. More recently, I took on a temporary proofreading position with a benefits communications company. Now I’m here!

What part of your job do you believe makes the most impact?

Being able to share cool and exciting stories about Fargo-Moorhead with the community. I think many people don’t know a lot about their community, and it’s great to be able to share the hidden parts of Fargo-Moorhead with people.

Why does our community matter to you?

Our community matters to me because diverse thoughts and perspectives matter to me. If I just stayed in my house all day and never interacted with anyone, I wouldn’t ever have to critically think about anything. Hearing other perspectives about the world are important for individual growth, and I think the wide variety of people in the Fargo-Moorhead community help me grow every day - whether it’s opening my eyes to new viewpoints, or helping me solidify my own belief system.

What are some of your goals at Spotlight?

I hope to hone my skills as a writer and editor, and help tell stories that interest people. I have always wanted to use my degrees outside of the field of education, and I am hoping to prove that the degrees actually helped me learn something. They say those that can’t do, teach - I’m hoping to prove that I can do both!

Meet the Rest of the Spotlight Team!

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