ENGL489 Advance Portfolio Workshop Author Bios
(scroll to the end of this page for contact information and links to office hours and zoom classes)
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Anna Dykhoff (she/they) can bake really good French macarons. That fact right there speaks volumes as to how impressive the Hopedale native is. However, that is not to say that her baking abilities are her only notable trait. Graduating in only a few short months, Anna will receive her B.A. in English (the writing studies concentration, to note) and her B.S. in Psychology. Not only does that mean her reading skills are strong and her emotions are kept in check, but it also means that her knowledge has landed her incredible opportunities, such as completing an ATP research project in the Summer of 2025. Continuing her work in research for the field of psychology, Anna looks forward to pursuing future goals as a professor in higher education for psychology, while simultaneously pursuing different research opportunities. Anna also wouldn’t be Anna without her love of music, or really, the passion she and her family share for the art. No stone goes unturned with the tune's lyrics, as Anna prides herself in her ability to dissect a song’s meaning. Anna plans to complete her final semester here at Bridgewater State by having meltdowns in the library, spending time with roommates, and avoiding BSU food at all costs.
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When I reached the end of the episode, the class didn’t seem so impossible anymore. I was reminded that any moment could become a story, and that creativity was stored within all of us, from all walks of life. |
From Anna's essay Stories to Inspire. Follow this link to read the piece in its entirety.
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Isabella is a senior majoring in English, Anthropology, and Philosophy, and minoring in Social Justice Studies. Though she is taking an extra year to complete all of her majors, she is already thinking about her future education. She is considering going to graduate school for library science, specifically to specialize in archives in hopes of working in a museum or research center to combine her love of English and anthropology. Isabella’s always been a writer though, and she is also thinking about trying to publish her short stories someday. Isabella loves using long walks as inspiration for her creative writing. She also enjoys consuming others’ work. Isabella’s favorite genres to read are creative nonfiction, dystopia, and magical realism, and a favorite series of hers is The Hunger Games, specifically the original trilogy. She hasn’t read Haymitch’s story yet, but she hopes to soon. Isabella also loves Song of Solomon because she appreciates the depth of the writing as well as Toni Morrison’s poetic, powerful flow. Isabella enjoys exploring different genres of music too, including rap, hip hop, goth, and indie, and while she listens to a bit of everything, her favorite artists are Tupac and Fiona Apple. Isabella also enjoys watching shows, and her favorites include the anime Parasyte because of the questions it asks about philosophy, humanity, and morality, and Anne with an E for its comforting, chill vibes. Outside of media, Isabella also loves her tuxedo cat, Jazzy, dearly.
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Then I read Heidi by Johanna Spyri. Although I can’t remember much of the plot, I remember finally caring about what the words meant, how they connected to one another, and the power they had to create a story. What, or who else was out there, hiding in between the pages of a book, waiting to come alive in my imagination? |
From her piece "From Pen to Paper, the Writing that Shaped Her". Follow this link to read her piece in its entirety.
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Glen Beaulieu is a student at Bridgewater State University. He previously attended UMass Boston and then COVID-19 hit. This then led him to change schools, which turned out to. be a happy decision because he loves the relaxed feel of Bridgewater. Here at the school, he has been able to become an editorial intern at the Journal of International Women’s Studies. This has allowed him to work with people from Bangladesh and India. He was also an editor for the Bridge, BSU's award winning literary and arts journal--an opportunity he found to be amazing. Glen is an English major with a writing concentration, and his goal is to be an editor. He also hopes to publish works of his own, as he loves working on writing as well as reading others, too. But overall, he loves editing because it's so rewarding and leaves him with such a good feeling when you help someone perfect their work. Glen loves to read, write, watch TV, play video games, and is quite the homebody. He is excited to be taking this class along with everyone and cannot wait to see what the semester brings.
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It proves that the terror of being 'seen' is a worthwhile tradeoff for trying to create something that will make readers feel like they are reading something made just for them. I think that is beautiful.
From Glen's piece Disco Elysium: Ecstatic Vibrations in Sweet Oblivion. Click here to read this piece in its entirety.
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Alexandra O'Brien is currently a communications major at Bridgewater State University where she aspires to become a creative writing professor. Prior to coming to BSU, Alexandra went to a community college for the first two years of her degree, before transferring to BSU for its affordability, close proximity to home, and flexibility that allows her to be a full-time student while still being able to work as a server at “The Blueberry Muffin” —a job that she absolutely loves. Alexandra is a person where art is everything to her, and her desire to teach creative writing stems from her desire to always be learning and having meaningful, passionate conversations about it. She is someone who loves to talk to people, and she is always getting inspiration from the people she meets—hence why she is the perfect person to have as a server and as a creative writing professor. Outside of work and school, Alexandra is always surrounded by books, movies, and music. She is also writing a young adult memoir with the tentative title of The Bittersweet Aftertaste of You: A Ruiner’s Guide to Redemption, which is an honest reflection on her past relationships, her role in them, and her path of learning and redemption.
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I keep all my current favorites and past loved books on my desk. My mentors, always there, reminding me why I read – and even further, why I write. From Alexandra's piece . Click here to read it in its entirety.
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I learned the art of lying and manipulation at the same age that I lost my first tooth. From Nina's Piece My First True Reading Log. Click here to read the piece in it's entirety.
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Nina Hamel is an English major with a double minor in communication studies and digital media. Her intense love for reading and writing sparked her passion for English, but it wasn’t until she began taking classes in communication studies that she began to hone her goals to pursue professional writing. When she isn’t working on her three areas of study, Nina works at the Center for Student Engagement as a Student Engagement Assistant where she helps student organizations with logistical work regarding events, membership, and training. Her favorite thing about this job is the team of students she works with. While in this role she has been able to build incredibly strong friendships and long-lasting bonds. Another field of work for Nina is retail. She is a sales associate at Old Navy and loves to flex her 50% discount. Despite Nina’s busy schedule, she works to find time for reading, thrifting, playing Fortnite, and hanging out with her friends. Nina is from a full house as the youngest of four girls, and adores her cat Molly and two dogs, Bruno and Finn. Her hometown of Haverhill, Massachusetts yields domesticated bison, horses, alpacas, goats, and all sorts of other animals. After graduation, Nina would like to pursue a job in professional writing or editing, but she will someday become a fantasy/fiction writer and live off her earnings from writing. In the future, you may find Nina living in a beach town, sailing away on a boat or organizing her in-home library.
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Ashley Luise is a senior majoring in English and minoring in women studies and social justice. She is still considering her options for her future career. However, her prior experience working with children is steering her in the direction of working at a youth-focused nonprofit organization. Ashley is also open to the idea of getting published someday. While creative nonfiction is her forte when it comes to writing her own pieces, she typically reads a lot of fiction. Martyr! by Kaven Akbar is currently one of her favorites. She has always been a big reader, which is what led to her passion for writing. Another way she explores storytelling is through the music she listens to. She enjoys pop and indie artists such as Taylor Swift, Lucy Dacus, and Katie Gavin. In her free time, she likes to watch Gilmore Girls, especially during the fall as it sets the mood for the chilly season and school semester ahead. Ashley also has a dog named Charlie, who is a rescue from Texas.
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My dreams had been authored by Dr. Seuss, the Berenstains, and Eric Carle for as long as I could remember.
From Ashley's piece My Unconventional Role Model. Click here to read her piece in its entirety.
Paul Sweeney is an English major currently living in the Dedham area. He commutes to Bridgewater by train, where he always tries to grab one of the few available tables with limited success. His main passions include writing, playing video games, and most things horror. Though he isn’t sure where he wants to go after college, he has vague ambitions towards becoming a fiction writer, potentially even writing novels. Perhaps not as a career, but at least as a hobby. His favorite holiday tends to switch between Halloween and Christmas depending on when you ask him. He has also been developing his interest in reading, going from one or two novels a year to several. His favorite books include House of Leaves, and Misery by Stephen King. King is a big influence on his interest in reading and writing. His favorite places on campus are the Maxwell Library and the East Dining Hall, and this semester those are the two buildings he’s moving between the most. Sometimes struggling with the balance of schoolwork, he is trying to do his best to get done what he can, and still have time for his own personal interests and pursuits. He is also an avid fan of internet horror, and wishes to enter the space at some point with his own ideas and work.
I want to write like that more than anything; so you understand why a character is the way they are rather than taking them at face value. It’s this kind of writing that allows you to see the humanity in people you may not have otherwise understood. |
From Paul's piece. Click here to read the piece in its entirety.
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Lee Torda believes there are writers who teach and teachers who write, and she is the latter. She publishes routinely in The Bridgewater Review. Her essay "Where are you From" appears in the edited collection Placing the Academy: Essays on Landscape, Work, and Identity. Her scholarly focus is on literacy instruction, policy, and writing pedagogy (see her essay on book clubs in Integrating Literature and Writing Instruction co-authored with Rona Kaufman). Most recently, Lee was a guest editor for the journal Teaching and Learning Together in Higher Education with Karen Richardson, where on her essay "Chaos in the Promise Land," co-written with two undergraduate students, also appears. The essay chronicles their shared experience traveling and writing about a research and writing tour in Israel in 2012. The majority of Lee's energy for writing goes into the classes she teaches and can be located and borrowed from at www.leetorda.com. Lee Torda celebrates 25 years at BSU as an Associate Professor of English and currently serves as Acting Dean of Undergraduate Studies--a job that is often un-fun but fully necessary. She lives in New Bedford, MA in a big, very old house with her husband, a twenty year old cat named Noodle, and a 3 year old rescued pit/cattle dog mix named Chicken, and 7 month old Rottweiler named Nugget.
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From Lee's The Girl's of Summer. Click here to read her piece in its entirety.
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In that very deep way, reading these particular novels and in the particular fashion that I read them, I imagined a grown up life of reading and writing that seemed like fantasy but then wasn’t. It was real life. |
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Need to be in touch with me?
LEE TORDA Acting Dean, Undergraduate Studies & Associate Professor of English 200 Clement C. Maxwell Library 508.531.1790 Teaching Website: www.leetorda.com [email protected] [email protected] www.leetorda.com |
Open Hours for students (office hours):
By Appointment. Email me at [email protected] with times/days you'd like to meet, and I will respond within 24 hours. HOW TO ATTEND ZOOM CLASS: Click here to attend. Zoom room opens at 4:30. “Let’s save pessimism for better times” --Eduardo Galeano (Who is Eduardo Galeano? ) |