Chadron State Creative Writing

Meet the Student Representatives (SRs) and Associate Student Representatives (ASRs)

Eastern Region

Kristen Capano - Student Representative (SR)

The College of New Jersey
Ewing, NJ
Email:

Kristen Capano is a Junior at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) where she double majors in English Literature and Publishing/Editing, a major she designed herself. Her 2016 internship with Princeton University Press motivated Kristen to pursue a career in trade publishing. Kristen is the Vice President of TCNJ's Alpha Epsilon Alpha Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta and also served as the chapter's fundraising chair. On campus, Kristen is the treasurer for Blackout Step Team, a step-dance group that performs at local ethnic events. She also has volunteered as an English tutor at local correctional facilities across New Jersey. In her spare time, Kristen is a freelance writer for SevenPonds, which offers guidance through the grieving process and supports those directly and indirectly affected by terminal illnesses.

Melissa Heineman - Associate Student Representative (ASR)

Muhlenberg College
Allentown, PA
Email:

Melissa Heineman is an English and Film Studies double major at Muhlenberg College where she focuses on transnational and transmedia studies. She also is a screenwriter, an interest she picked up while studying in Prague. Melissa was inducted into the Gamma Iota Chapter last fall, and will serve as chapter officer in fall 2017. She's involved in various clubs, including the Anime Club and Board Game Association, as well being a founding member of her campus's Video Game Association. This summer, a grant from Muhlenberg will allow her to pursue a research project on Asian identity within Disney films, which will evolve into her senior thesis. In her free time she loves to play Dungeons and Dragons, hit the gym, and work on private research and teleplays.

Melissa is excited to serve as the Eastern ASR. She can't wait to work alongside Kristen Capano (Eastern SR) to expand communication and growth for the regional community.

Far Western Region

Sarah Hovet - Student Representative (SR)

University of Oregon
Eugene, OR
Email:

Sarah Hovet is a senior at the University of Oregon (UO), where she is enrolled in the Robert D. Clark Honors College. She is double-majoring in English and journalism with a minor in creative writing. She has served as vice president and president of the Alpha Tau Phi Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta. She is also a staff writer for Ethos Magazine, a member of the Environmental Leadership Program, and manager of the national UO Poetry Slam Team. Sarah is a tutor and conversation partner for students learning English as a second language at the American English Institute and teaches a one-credit course on poetry each fall as a Clark Honors Introductory Program leader. She hopes to earn an MFA in creative writing with an inter-genre focus in poetry and fiction and work as a poet, author, journalist, essayist, and writing instructor.

As Far Western SR, Sarah hopes to promote community among chapters, provide more opportunities for undergraduate scholarship on the regional level, and improve communications at the regional and national levels.

High Plains Region

Stephanie Gardener - Student Representative (SR)

Chadron State College
Chadron, NE
Email:

Stephanie Gardener will graduate from Chadron State College (CSC) in May 2018 with a BA in English and minors in History and Nutrition. After earning her undergraduate degree, Stephanie intends to pursue an MFA in Creative Writing and ultimately hopes to publish a collection of zombie apocalypse short stories and a memoir. She also hopes to either teach Creative Writing at the college level or work in publishing. Stephanie currently works at her college library, is the editor of CSC's literary journal 10^th Street Miscellany, and serves as Vice President of CSC's Sigma Tau Delta chapter. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her husband and son, as well as reading and training for half marathons.

Stephanie is excited to serve as the High Plains SR, and she intends to utilize her position to encourage the chapters in her region to work toward building greater community literacy over the course of the next year.

Midwestern Region

Haley Coburn - Student Representative

Stephens College
Columbia, MO
Email:

Haley is a junior English major at Stephens College. She has been a member of the Alpha Epsilon Eta Chapter for two years and the chapter Secretary for one. She has interned as an assistant editor for the award winning literary magazine, Harbinger, for two years. Her poetry collection, Daughters, was published in Harbinger: Girls Like Us and was presented at the Sigma Tau Delta 2016 International Convention in Minneapolis, MN. She has worked as an A.V.I.D. middle school tutor for Columbia Public Schools and a media production assistant at KOMU 8 News Station. Haley loves reading stories about adventure and writes comedic prose or depressing poetry. She draws inspiration from her family for both. She recently has started exploring multi-media art, such as graphic novels or crafts paired with prose. She is a front-of-the-class talker and tries to find humor in almost everything. She shares her down time with her partner and two cats, Boots and Sally.

Shelly Romero - Associate Student Representative (ASR)

Stephens College
Columbia, MO
Email:

Shelly Romero is an English major at Stephens College in Columbia, MO, the second oldest women's college in the country. She joined the Alpha Epsilon Eta Chapter in fall 2013 and has served as President for the 2015-2016 school year. Shelly is continuing her involvement with the Student Leadership committee following her tenure last year as Midwestern SR. Along with Sigma Tau Delta, she also serves as the Academic Excellence Chair for the Zeta Upsilon Chapter of Kappa Delta Sorority. She is the Poetry Editor of Harbinger, Stephens' award-winning literary journal; Account Executive for Creative Ink, the student-run marketing firm; and Blog Manager for the Unbound Book Festival's Official Site.

Shelly also is a fiction writer and film buff with a strong love for the horror, science-fiction, and fantasy genres. She intends to pursue a career as an editor in the world of literary publishing following her graduation in May 2017.

Southern Region

Elizabeth Upshur - Student Representative (SR)

Austin Peay State University
Clarksville, TN
Email:

Elizabeth Upshur, a senior at Austin Peay State University (APSU), is majoring in English and minoring in Creative Writing, International Studies, Spanish, and Theatre. She has worked as a student assistant for Dr. Andrea Spofford since 2014, and currently, she serves as President of the Alpha Zeta Upsilon Chapter at APSU. She is a member and active participant in Sigma Delta Pi National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society. In her free time Elizabeth enjoys sketching, Zumba/hip hop exercise, reading, and pop culture analysis. She plans to obtain her MFA in Creative Writing, focusing on poetry. She then will go on to obtain her PhD, possibly in Comparative Literature. She is honored to serve as the Southern SR, and hopes to encourage greater collaboration among chapters.

Heather Williams - Associate Student Representative (ASR)

University of Mississippi
University, MS
Email:

Heather Williams, a senior English Education major at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), plans to teach at the college level. She currently serves as the Vice President of her chapter, Eta Nu, and will become President in May 2016. She is a transfer student from Bevill State Community College in Jasper, AL, where she was involved in Sigma Kappa Delta (SKD), The English Honor Society Two-Year Colleges. She also is published in SKD's 2014 literary journal, The Hedera helix . Besides Sigma Tau Delta, Heather also is involved in other leadership roles including the Transfer Leadership Organization and 1+1 Transfer Student Program, both of which help make the transition into university life easier for transfer students. When not reading or writing, Heather enjoys playing the guitar and loves putting music to her poetry. Her favorite literature genre is Southern literature, and her favorite book is The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

Heather is honored and excited to serve as the new Southern Region ASR. She hopes to promote growth within the region and also within Sigma Kappa Delta chapters.

Southwestern Region

Noah Golaboff - Student Representative (SR)

Oklahoma Baptist University
Shawnee, OK
Email:

Noah Golaboff is a senior at Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU), majoring in Social Studies Secondary Education with a minor in English. He hopes to teach Middle School or Junior High before returning to university for a PhD in either History or Literature. He has presented papers at Sigma Tau Delta and Oklahoma Association of Professional Historians/Phi Alpha Theta in 2016, where he won third place in the Undergraduate American History Category. He also is Executive Vice President of the Epsilon Zeta Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, editing team member of the Scriblerus at OBU, and a member of Phi Alpha Theta. Noah also is an active member in the OBU music program. Noah's favorite genre is English Romanticism, specifically Percy Shelley.

His hopes for the 2016-2017 academic year for Sigma Tau Delta are an even greater turnout for the 2017 Convention and to promote student submissions to Sigma Tau Delta's various publications. He currently serves as the Historian for the Chi Delta Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta at OBU and is excited to see his chapter grow in the next year.

Posted 03/2016

Chadron State Creative Writing

Source: https://www.english.org/about/student_leadership/sr_bio.shtml

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