Rising senior Stephanie Ramser has been elected Editor of The Minor Bird for the next academic year, and will continue as the VP of the Creative Writing Club. As a way of congratulations, we decided to interview her for a profile!
Her Campus: How long have you been involved with The Minor Bird and CWC?
Stephanie Ramser: I’ve been involved with CWC since my first semester first year and with The Minor Bird since the spring of my first year. I’ve been a part of both of those ever since.
What’s your favorite part about each?
I really love the sense of community and involvement I get from both. I love the creative writing club because it was a great way to get used to peer workshops and because in my intro class we only did a couple. Since then I’ve gotten way more in class workshops, but I still love the casual workshops CWC offers. It’s nice knowing that once a month I get to read student work and chat over lunch. My favorite part about The Minor Bird is getting to be involved in putting together a showcase of student work. I love readings but there’s something so special about having a print journal that just makes it feel like all of the hard work throughout the year pays off. It’s nice knowing that I’m helping carry on a tradition that’s been around since the late 1920s.
What are you most excited for as the new MB editor?
I think I’m most excited to bring new students into the club. I know I’m going to have a great time with the editorial team, and I’m looking forward to getting more people interested in The Minor Bird so that others can have a positive experience and a platform to show off their hard work. I’ve learned so much from my time with The Minor Bird up until now and I want others to be excited about it with me.
Do you have any plans for post grad?
As of right now my plan is to apply to library school to get my master’s and then hopefully get a job from there. I know I’ll want to travel more in the future but for now I want to live somewhere (preferably in the Pittsburgh area) for a little while. I love the community I’ve found here, especially the writing community, and I want to learn more and grow as a person and a writer. Sometime in the future I’d like to start a journal or a press, but I want more experience before making a jump like that.
Why did you choose Chatham?
I chose Chatham mostly because of the community. I was actually thinking of not going to school, but I’m glad I did. My cousin told me about Chatham and after hearing more about it I was sold. When I started at Chatham it was still all women, and it was such a welcoming and supportive environment that I knew it would be a good place for me. Things have changed a lot since then, but I’m still really happy I came to Chatham and that I got to meet so many smart and talented people who’ve motivated me to push myself and to try new things.
What’s your favorite thing about Chatham?
Kitty. Well, not Kitty, but it’s a close one. I’d have to say my favorite thing about Chatham are the instructors. The small classes are great and I’ve really gotten to know some of my professors, and even the professors outside of my program have been so caring and helpful. People here really care about you and get invested in you and your goals that it’s really motivating to work towards whatever it is you want. I’ve learned so much and I’m excited (and nervous) to get to use what I’ve learned in my career.