Rewriting the rules of strength

Heroes and villains often share the same origin story: pain, trauma, the feeling of being cast aside. The difference, according to University of Delaware alumnus Shaun Zetlin, lies in what they do next.

"The villain says, 'I've been hurt, so I'll burn the world down,'" the 2002 graduate explained. "The hero says, 'I've been hurt, and I'll make sure no one else feels that way.'"

Zetlin chose the latter path. Growing up in Wilmington, Delaware, part of a long line of Blue Hens, he was the kid picked last in gym class. Born with club feet and motor skill challenges, he remembers cruel taunts. One moment stands out: missing a kickball, falling flat on his back, and being called a loser by a camp counselor - laughter echoing around him.

But even then, some small superpower took root. "I remember thinking: I never want anyone to feel the way I just did," Zetlin said.

As a shy child, he found solace in the arts. Theater became his first training ground for confidence, and Zetlin was cast in lead roles in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Twelve Angry Men. He arrived at UD with plans to major in musical theater, but it was in Memorial Hall classrooms - exploring Shakespeare and Romantic poets under professors like Kristen Poole - that he felt his intellectual spirit thrive.

"Long before he was an English major, Shaun had the soul of one - curious, reflective, and determined to make meaning out of difficult experiences," said John Ernest, chair of the Department of English. "He's a powerful example of how an English degree prepares you not just for a job, but for a life rooted in self-awareness, resilience and communication."