Spring 2018 Staff
Forward ♦ Editor's Corner ♦ Fiction ♦ Drama ♦ Creative Nonfiction ♦ Poetry ♦ Music ♦ Art and Photography ♦ Interviews (Archie Borders and Todd Keisling) ♦ Spring 2018 Staff ♦ Spring 2018 Award Winners and Launch Party Photos
Editor-in-Chief
Marissa Massey
Hometown: Turlock, CA
Major: English – Literature
Future Aspirations: Marissa wants to start a publishing empire and be a published author. Additionally, she wants to create a social justice magazine for victims of sexual violence.
Why Aurora? Marissa chose Aurora to obtain editing experience because she hopes to pursue a career in editing.
Previous experience: Marissa has been writing stories since she learned to write. She started with poetry, moved to fiction, and is now exploring creative nonfiction. Marissa wants to publish her creative nonfiction collection by the beginning of next year.
Fun fact: Marissa is allergic to glitter – ouch!
Editor-in-Chief
Cayla Robinson
Hometown: Florence, KY
Major: Double major in English Literature and Psychology
Future Aspirations: Cayla aspires to one day be a Dean of Libraries.
Why Aurora? Cayla chose Aurora to be involved on campus while learning every aspect of the book writing process.
Fun Fact: Cayla likes to run half marathons in her free time!
Editor-in-Chief
Jared Rose
Hometown: Corbin, KY
Major: English – Literature
Future Aspirations: Jared has a lot of Aspirations – ultimately, he would like to incorporate traveling into his career.
Why Aurora? Jared chose Aurora because he wanted to see and understand the behind-the-scenes operation of a literary journal.
Previous experience: Jared has been writing since he was a wee lad! He won a poetry contest when he was in elementary school (4th grade, to be exact) and he’s been writing ever since.
Fun Fact: Jared plays the saxophone.
Submissions Manager
Hannah McGee
Hometown: Lexington, KY
Major: English – Technical Writing; 3+2 Program
Future Aspirations: Hannah hopes to work in copy editing or public relations. She wants to start a scholarship fund for people who work with animals at humane societies.
Why Aurora? Hannah chose Aurora to get experience in publishing and editing. Also, the people are super cool.
Fun fact: She spent spring break in New Orleans doing historical restoration in the La Chalmette National Cemetery.
Social Media Manager and Interviewer
Sara Marksberry
Hometown: Florence, KY
Major: English – Technical Writing
Future Aspirations: Sara would like to go into brand management.
Why Aurora? Sara chose Aurora because it is a great opportunity to work with the EKU community.
Previous experience: Sara is the current social media representative at the EKU Geeks. As well as the social media representative for the Kentucky Innovation Network at Richmond. Additionally, Sara is an amateur blogger in her free time.
Fun fact: Sara is getting married at the end of the semester!
Event Planner
Samantha Travillian
Hometown: Harrodsburg, KY
Major: English – Literature
Future Aspirations: Samantha wants to be an attorney to fight for people with disabilities.
Why Aurora? Samantha joined Aurora to improve her technical writing, proofreading, and editing capabilities before pursuing a future in law.
Fun fact: Samantha is a high school soccer coach!
Music and Film Editor/Staff Page Editor
Annabelle Smith
Hometown: Manchester, KY
Major: English – Literature
Future Aspirations: Annabelle is planning on attending law school to study intellectual property – which includes patents, copyrights, etc.
Why Aurora? Annabelle joined Aurora to get experience with writing, editing, and publishing to improve her knowledge of creative property – which is included in intellectual property.
Fun fact: Annabelle is a classically trained pianist, part-time organist, and social accordionist.
Event Planner and Art and Photography Editor
Melanie Martin
Hometown: Lexington, KY
Major: English – Technical Writing
Future Aspirations: Melanie would like to work in Public Relations.
Why Aurora? Melanie chose Aurora to gain work experience.
Fun fact: Melanie just got a new puppy named Maxi!
Art and Photography Editor and Photographer
Joshua Cason
Hometown: Lexington, KY
Major: English – Technical Writing
Future Aspirations: Josh wants to work in technical writing while he pursues a graduate degree in clinical mental health counseling.
Why Aurora? Josh chose Aurora to prepare for his professional career.
Previous experience: Josh was an art critique for his high school newspaper.
Fun fact: Josh’s third favorite amphibian is the Geico gecko!
Creative Nonfiction Editor
Alyssa Howell
Hometown: Trenton, FL
Major: English – Technical Writing
Future Aspirations: Alyssa wants to work in grant writing.
Why Aurora? Alyssa chose Aurora to gain experience in the editing field to better prepare herself for the future.
Fun Fact: Alyssa is a navy veteran, married, and has two toddlers.
Drama and Poetry Editor
Logan Clark
Hometown: Bardstown, KY
Major: English – Creative Writing; Minor in Theatre
Future Aspirations: Logan wants to be a published author.
Why Aurora? Logan chose Aurora to work with others and gain editing experience.
Previous experience: Logan won Aurora’s best in fiction prize last year!
Fun fact: Logan thinks bats are the cutest mammals!
Poetry Editor
Rance Ellison
Hometown: Lexington, KY
Major: English – Creative Writing
Future Aspirations: Rance wants to become a freelance writer.
Why Aurora? Aurora is a new experience to challenge Rance as a writer.
Fiction and Poetry Editor
Hannah Lightner
Hometown: Irvine, KY
Major: English – Literature
Future Aspirations: Hannah wants to be an author, but the arrival of a tiny human might change those plans.
Why Aurora? Hannah chose Aurora to work with English in a new way.
Previous experience: Hannah has been writing creative fiction both individually and collaboratively since high school.
Fun fact: Hannah got married last year and is now having the aforementioned tiny human.
Fiction Editor
Jordan Connelly
Hometown: Blanchester, OH
Major: English – Creative Writing; Minor – History
Future Aspirations: Jordan wants to be an editor and hopes to publish her work someday.
Why Aurora? Jordan chose Aurora to learn new skills she would need as a future editor.
Previous experience: Jordan was published in Aurora last year! – “It was great – it made me feel as though I was another step closer to be an author.”
Fiction Editor
Nichole Ransdelle
Hometown: Lexington, KY
Major: English – Creative Writing.
Future Aspirations: Nichole wants to be a teacher for middle school English.
Why Aurora? Nichole chose Aurora to share editorial experience with her future students to further their education.
Fun fact: Nichole loves wearing tiaras – she collects them.
Staff Advisor
Dr. Gaby Bedetti
Hometown: Brookline, MA
Future Aspirations: Dr. Bedetti wants to become a better reader and writer of her own poems.
Why Aurora? Dr. Bonnie Plummer, former English Department Chair, invited Dr. Bedetti to teach a course closely related to her dissertation. Dr. Charlie Sweet, the following English Department Chair, included Aurora as a project for students to get hands-on publishing experience.
Fun Fact: Dr. Bedetti joined the English Department in 1981.
