The interview was conducted by Toyin Olanipekun, a doctoral student in Second Language Acquisition and a project assistant at the Language Institute (March, 2025). The transcription below is abridged.
Greyson: Hello. My name is Greyson. I am a first-year PhD student in the SLA program, and I joined the program last year in 2024.
Toyin: What has been your experience so far in the SLA program?
Greyson: My experience has been pretty good so far, because I enjoy the courses that I am taking and connect with professors to talk about research ideas. And also, our professors in the program are supportive and approachable. And I especially love the interdisciplinary nature of our program because it allows me to take courses from other departments and schools.
Toyin: How is life in Madison outside your studies?
Greyson: I think life in Madison is wonderful because we are lucky to be near a lake. We can enjoy the scenery while studying. And I love doing kayaking on the lake. I love that our school has so many diverse events, and we get the chance to listen to professors, those big figures from other universities. And also connect with people who share the same interests with us.
Toyin: How do you balance your academic responsibilities with your personal life?
Greyson: I think I don’t have too many academic responsibilities because I enjoy what I am doing so far. And I guess once you think what you’re doing is meaningful and helpful to your research, you won’t feel that much pressure. I try to get enough sleep every day and also relax when I need to.
Toyin: What is one thing you would like to share about yourself?
Greyson: I love watching animal videos. That helps me keep my mind refreshed.
Toyin: What type of animal videos are you talking about?
Greyson: I love watching cute dog videos… and small kittens.
Toyin: Thank you very much!
To learn about Greyson’s research, see his profile.
Below is the video interview.