This passionate and recently published William Smith writer is making headlines with her article in Digital America. Meet Morgan Gilbard!
Class Year: 2015
Major: English
Minor: Political Science; Media & Society
HC: Why did you choose to come to Hobart and William Smith?
MG: I’m from Arizona and wanted to experience a completely different place. My dad is from New York, so my family spent a fair amount of time out here while I was growing up. It felt natural to come here for school, and when I visited HWS, everything seemed to fall into place.
HC: What are you involved in on campus and what are you most proud of?
MG: I served as Editor-in-Chief of our campus newspaper, The Herald, for two years. The position is a major time commitment—one that I undertook at the beginning of my sophomore year, making me the youngest and longest serving editor. Running The Herald was a labor of love for me, and definitely the most rewarding experience I’ve had on campus. Also, an article I’ve been working on for the past year was recently published in University of Richmond’s undergraduate journal, Digital America, which makes me excited for what is to come. While I’ve spent most of my time here writing, I also work at the Office of Communications and as a study table facilitator for the English Department.
HC: How did you first become interested in writing and journalism?
MG: In high school, I had a friend who was familiar with my writing and suggested that I try writing for our campus paper. I penned a humor piece, and was absolutely terrified about how it would be received because I was so shy. The article was a huge hit throughout campus, so I kept writing more. It was the first venue where I ever felt completely comfortable with myself as a person, and it made me realize, “Hey, it’s okay to share who you are with people.”
HC: What was your inspiration to write “Invasion of the Betches: Repercussions of Mean Girl Culture?”
MG: The article began as an assignment for a Writing and Rhetoric class that asked us to analyze an online community. It wasn’t until much later though that I realized that “Invasion of the Betches” was greatly shaped by where I grew up. In Arizona, tanning salons are on every corner and “culture” consists of viewing Mexican art while complaining about immigration. So for me, “Invasion of the Betches” was an exploration of how that kind of environment could develop through mass media culture.
HC: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
MG: I hope to write and produce for broadcast news. Journalism is a form of activism to me, and I’m very passionate about storytelling. For me, it’s less about where I’ll be, but what I’ll be doing.
HC: What do you want to be remembered for?
MG: Reading has always taken a special place in my heart, and when you come across specific books or stories, they can inexplicably change you. Someday, I hope to create work that moves someone—even if it’s just one person—in the same way that my favorite writers and journalists have impacted me.
HC: Is there anything on your bucket list?
MG: My younger sister and I want to take a literary/food tour of Europe. We want to see the places that inspired our favorite books and eat in between.
Favorites:
Class at HWS: Feminist Critical Theory with Professor Ivanchikova.
Spot on Campus: The Cellar Pub, for the comfy leather chairs and chai lattes.
Place in Geneva: Opus. The grilled cheese is a Godsend.
Season: Fall.
Celebrity: Taylor Swift. I will defend Taylor Swift to the moon and back.
Celebrity Crush: I don’t really have one anymore. I used to be quite infatuated with Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley from the Harry Potter movies in middle school…It was bizarre.
Movie: Thelma & Louise
TV Show: Scandal
Here is the full text of Morgan’s article “Invasion of the Betches: Repercussions of Mean Girl Culture”: