Name: Alison Cheng
Hometown: Mansfield, OH
Major: English, Creative Writing
Class Year: 2015
Campus Activities: Alpha Xi Delta, College Republicans,
Dream Job: US Foreign Service Officer, Video Game Writer, or a career in the Department of Defense
Why Alison is our campus celebrity:
Alison was recently awarded the Jerome Irving Bank Short Story Prize for her creative writing story, “Sectile.”
Give us a brief description of your story.
It’s the story of two friends, one who is immortal and one who isn’t, and how that affects both of their lives.
What inspires your writing?
It really depends. Occasionally, I’ll be inspired by a word or a picture, other times it’s an experience I have or a story told to me. Sometimes it’s just a looming deadline.
Why did you choose F&M?
I felt really at home on campus, and I was really impressed by the amount of extracurricular involvement of the campus body. The student to professor ratio was also a big plus, one that’s only become more useful in my time at F&M. It’s really awesome to have professors who already know who you are outside of class by the time you ask them for a recommendation letter.
What has been your favorite class and why?
It’s a tie between 21st Century Security with Professor Kollars and the Advanced Creative Writing Workshop I’m in this semester with Professor McMasters. Both classes and professors are huge inspirations to me, and both have helped me figure out what my strengths and weaknesses are.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I do a lot of things with my Alpha Xi Delta sisters and/or friends, going to dinner, going to Laser Tag, or shopping at Central Market. I also spend a good amount of time writing or reading (hugely shocking, I know) or playing video games.
What superpower would you like to have?
Teleportation! I love to travel, and teleportation would make everything cheaper, easier and more fun!