Seven-year-old Melissa was the girl who fell in love with the art of writing, who constantly scribbled in journals and dreamed of becoming an author one day. That girl would be smiling from ear-to-ear if she heard she would be getting her MFA in creative writing one day.
I always joke that I “speedran” through college, having received three degrees in six years (a BA in English/creative writing in 2021, an MA in English/creative writing in 2022, and now an MFA in creative writing in 2023). Six years and many cups of coffee later, my time at The Outlook is officially coming to a close, and my third graduation from Monmouth is just around the corner.
When I first arrived at this school in 2017 as an English major, journalism wasn’t even on my radar of possible careers to pursue. In only my first week of freshman year, my mom encouraged me to write for the school newspaper (thanks, Mom), and the rest is history.
Since then, I’ve evolved from Staff Writer, to Features Editor, to Editor-in-Chief, and finally, to Graduate Assistant. I tacked on a journalism minor my sophomore year. I got an internship at The Asbury Park Press my junior year. I received writing awards my senior year. In between, I learned how to write a lead, how to find my journalistic voice, and how to lay out stories on Adobe InDesign (I always joke that I sold my soul to that program; I even sport an InDesign keychain dangling from my car keys).
As Graduate Assistant, I’ve had the privilege of teaching students the journalism ropes. I’m extremely proud of what we accomplished this year. Putting together a newspaper each week is no easy feat. Isabella, you killed it this year as EIC.
The Outlook newsroom has always been a special place to me, and I always knew I had a place on campus to call home. I will forever be grateful to The Outlook and all its staff for introducing me to journalism, being a safe place to expand my writing skills, and opening the door for opportunities I never thought I’d have.
Grad school was certainly a grind, and I’m bittersweet now that it’s all coming to an end. I wasn’t even sure if I would be returning for my MFA, but I’m glad I did.
I am beyond proud of the works of fiction and poetry I’ve produced in my creative writing classes this year. It feels like a superpower, to be the creator of words and worlds. I pursued my MFA because I genuinely enjoy school and learning, but also because I knew I was bound to create things I never would have the inspiration to write otherwise.
Having been nestled in academia for the past six years—four years of undergrad and two years of grad school—I’ve had the comfort of Monmouth, a supportive place that cultivates my creativity, to fall back on. Now, it’s officially out into the real world of bills, taxes, and, begrudgingly, paying off student loans (the time was bound to come eventually…)
So, what’s next for me? This summer I’ll be doing what I do best—you guessed it—writing. I’m continuing to pursue journalism while working on the novel I started as part of my MFA thesis. It’s about a journalist who interviews a reclusive celebrity to save her struggling newspaper. I’m also teaching online poetry classes this summer, a new, exciting endeavor for me.
There are many people over the years I’d like to show gratitude to. First, I would like to thank our faculty advisor Dr. Marina Vujonovic (Dr. V) for being such a huge help to The Outlook and taking the time to look through each page Tuesday evenings. As always, I would like to thank Professor John Morano, former faculty advisor to The Outlook. Prof, you made me into a journalist and taught me everything I need to know about this crazy field.
I want to thank my English professors/thesis readers: Dr. Ken Womack, Prof. Alena Graedon, and Dr. Mihaela Moscaliuc, who made me into a poet and is likely sick of me after I took four poetry classes in a row.
Thank you to my Grad School Friends™—Faith, Rob, Marci, and Kevin—I couldn’t have gotten through it without you guys. And to Sarah, Dorothy and Sam, the Monmouth Review dream team. Thank you to all the editors of The Outlook, past and present, who taught me the value of teamwork and dedication.
Most importantly, thank you to my family: my mom, dad, and brother Justin (AKA my roommates), who have always supported my academic endeavors, who have always believed in me.
My biggest advice to students is to follow your heart. I know it sounds cliché, but it works. Do something that fulfills your soul. And if you don’t know what that is, follow your gut. I almost didn’t pursue writing in college (that’s right; I wanted to be a nursing major), but choosing English and journalism was the best decision of my life. And I hope everyone’s lucky enough to make a decision that changes their life in the best way possible, just like I did.
