When Austin Kloska was in the third grade, he began writing stories featuring all his friends, and every free period he would continue to produce new ones.

“It was exciting to think up something in my head, put it down on paper and then look back on what I did,” he said. “I had no conception of what writing really was, but it was the first time I realized how fun it could be. I never lost that feeling, but I did lose the time for it.”

This happened during his early teens. However, Kloska suddenly found himself with plenty of time during the pandemic and resumed his writing. In fact, he wrote his first play, “Irene’s Last Blooming.”

The COD community helped me build my confidence, and the faculty, staff, fellow students and other people I connected with on campus had my back.

Austin Kloska

“I had been missing my local community theater,” explained Kloska, who has acted since his debut in “The Hobbit” at age 6. “I wanted to write something that could be done with all the characters six feet apart. I settled on what I thought was a really funny story of a family bickering in a hospital waiting room. The characters came to life, and as I grew to like them so much, I did not know when to end the story.

“I carried this script deep into high school and realized how different the story was from what I began. I relearned what it meant to be an author and, whether I knew it or not, this is how I expressed myself the best. It became my diary. When this play was produced for the first time at Stageworks Theatre Arts in Geneva, it was surreal that an audience was watching the product of my changing life. From then on, putting my thoughts down in the form of plays has been the best therapy I could ask for.”

When Kloska came to College of DuPage, he hadn’t put much thought into what he wanted from his college experience. His goal was earning an Associate in Arts, but he was unsure of his future path.

Then he discovered the English program and was captivated by the classes. “World Literature,” for example, provided an understanding of how history and the context of an author’s life can influence their writing.

“I realized literature was truly an integral part of my life, and I would find fulfillment in devoting my time to being an English major,” he said.

Kloska also pursued his interest in theater through courses like “Theater Appreciation,” which taught him about the art, tradition and form of drama. He also worked on the Student Theater Showcase.

“I could not have imagined feeling comfortable enough, or that I was capable enough, to pursue my idea and present it to anyone at COD, let alone have it be well received,” he said. “Some friends I met through New Student Orientation encouraged me to follow through with it, and from there the next step was talking to Theater Professor Daniel Millhouse, who did not hesitate to help me despite having never had me as a student. The many people I met during this process showed me that the community of COD is encouraging, kind, knowledgeable and highly supportive of students.”

In graduating from COD as an Honors Scholar, Kloska was named one of the two outstanding graduates. He is transferring to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as a Ph.D. in order to teach college-level classes.

“I feel strongly that the lack of people reading in this day and age is somewhat concerning. So many are missing out on what really is the most beautiful art form,” he said. “Every book has an ethos, and there is so much that everyone can learn. Bringing even a single person to some significant lesson discovered through literature will make it a worthwhile job for the rest of my life—and it is something I genuinely love. I also hope that I can write my own plays on the side, and hopefully one of my plays will eventually be picked up by one of the major dramatic publishers and make it all the way to Broadway.”

As for COD, Kloska believes it will define his future.

“The experience of learning is not only understanding the world but also understanding relationships and how to improve them to be happier,” he said. “The COD community helped me build my confidence, and the faculty, staff, fellow students and other people I connected with on campus had my back.”

Learn more about the English program at College of DuPage.