Please Welcome Our Incoming Fall 2025 MA class...
Aug. 15, 2025
Nayla Bemmerzouk recently graduated cum laude from VCU with a bachelors in English with a strong concentration towards the art of teaching English. She has spent much of her undergraduate years acting as an academic tutor both on and off campus. She has also found paths of interest in writing political theory, particularly feminist political theory and creative memoir pieces in the form of both poetry and creative non-fiction. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her traveling abroad or planning her next trip!
Laura Brown graduated summa cum laude from VCU with a BA in English and minors in Creative Writing and Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies. She enjoyed her internship with VCU's Blackbird magazine and has a passion for meaningful language arts and literature. Her academic interests encompass textual analysis, character writing, and studying the impact and reach of literary works. During her undergraduate years at VCU, her passion for literature allowed her to connect with queer and feminist studies through queer and feminist literature.
Niki Goode graduated magna cum laude from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she majored in English and minored in Business. She has a strong interest in the intersections of mental health and literature, specifically in how literature often neglects mental health, especially in early 20th-century texts. Outside of her studies, Niki is an avid runner and dedicated yoga enthusiast—you’ll usually find her at Midtown Yoga or training for the Richmond Marathon, which she intends to run this fall. As a passionate traveler and self-declared coffee connoisseur, she’s always on the hunt for the best local cafés, usually with a good thriller book in hand.
Nikita Inamdar graduated magna cum laude from VCU in December 2024 with a BA in English, as well as earning minors in Creative Writing and Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies. Her research interests lie in postcolonial literature, magical realism, mythology, and climate fiction and how those respective genres can expand the world of South Asian Futurisms. Outside of her educational endeavors, Nikita is a self-proclaimed "cat auntie" who wishes to become a cat mother one day. She is also very fond of watching TV shows and movies (and getting emotionally attached to them), reading books (once again, getting emotionally attached to them), and writing in all forms. It is her hope to leave the country, adopt a cuddly cat, and become a Professor who potentially furthers research in South Asian Futurisms.
Dev Koch graduated summa cum laude from VCU with a BA in English and a minor in Creative Writing. For the last 4 years she has worked at the VCU Writing Center, committing herself to helping her fellow students while developing her skills as a writer and tutor. Her interests lie in weird literature and medieval texts, where they intersect thematically, and the ways that weird literature opens possibilities for imagining new ways of thinking and being. She is also interested in how weird literature's imagery has been transferred into new media like video games, with the meaning behind those images being altered. Dev integrates these interests into developing HTML text-based games, and is working toward a science-fantasy manuscript. She spends her time outside of school playing games, watching strange television, and writing haiku.
Nupur Lalla graduated from VCU with a BS in Psychology and BA in English from VCU in May 2025. She grew up in South Africa, and after migrating to the United States in 2018, she completed her high school and community college studies in Virginia before transferring to VCU for the remainder of her college career. At VCU, she has also served as an Undergraduate writing consultant at the VCU Writing Center and mentored new interns joining the staff and center. She joined the Accelerated MA program in 2024, with her interests lying in the publishing industry with a focus on the editorial process of publishing. When she is not focused on academic writing, Nupur enjoys writing poetry, lyrics, listening to music, and watching shows in many languages to gain an understanding and appreciation of different cultures. An unrealistic dream she has is to learn as many languages as possible after being a native speaker of three different languages, learner of three more languages in school, and current learner of Korean as she binges Korean dramas and variety shows.
Skylar Middleton graduated summa cum laude with her B.A. in English Literature from VCU in 2025. She loves Early American Literature, particularly focusing on early literature in Virginia. During her undergraduate studies, she participated in two semesters of the British Virginia Internship. Additionally, she was part of the Distinguished English Major program, where she completed a thesis titled “Reexamining Seventeenth-Century Travel Narratives and Unveiling Indigenous Histories of Virginia Through Henry Norwood’s A Voyage to Virginia.” She also participated in the 4+1 program during her senior year, which allowed her to enroll in graduate courses while still an undergraduate. One day, she hopes to work as an Archivist in a museum. If she’s not digging through old books and manuscripts, you can find her crafting with kids at Alma Bella Academy—and if she’s not there, she’s likely cooking a big bowl of pasta, watching TV, or out on a long walk.
Katie Nunnally graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2025 with a BA in English and a minor in Creative Writing. Her academic interests include Romanticism and how literature shapes emotional experiences, especially through themes like memory, trauma, and the ways the past continues to resonate. She is passionate about building a career in editing or publishing, where she can continue working closely with meaningful and emotionally resonant literature. Outside of her studies, Katie is a first-time mom to a bright and curious toddler, Archer, and spends most days chasing him and her German shepherd, Happy. She loves trying new restaurants, going to concerts, wine nights with close friends (probably rewatching twilight)
Jozie Perry graduated from VCU with a BA in English and is particularly interested in studying British Modernist literature with a focus on ecocriticism and feminism. She currently works as a Library Assistant for Chesterfield Public Libraries and loves her job but ultimately hopes to be an editor. In her free time (of which she has very little) you can find her reading in various different locations, talking about Virginia Woolf, trying new recipes in the kitchen, or taking embarrassingly long showers.
Sean Reed graduated from VCU in May 2025 with a BA in English. He is acutely aware of, but equally inspired by, how little he knows–a consciousness that fuels a passion for learning, listening, and reading. After completing two years of community college, then two years of VCU undergrad, being in an environment surrounded by increasingly high-level scholars is exhilarating. His zeal for critical analysis pairs well with a love for philosophy and pursuit of the spiritual. When not in class, Sean can be found reading, loving on his cat, or diving too deep into the lore of fictional universes. His favorite authors are Hermann Hesse and Leo Tolstoy, and he has a particular love for the Victorian novel and period pieces. In terms of goals, Sean has found the path presents itself when needed.
August Reynolds graduated from Virginia Tech in 2024 as a triple major in English Literature, Creative Writing, and Professional & Technical Writing. He was always the kid who hated reading and writing, but something shifted during the COVID-19 era and now this is all he does and wants to do—academically speaking. Whilst there, he particularly fell in love with 20th century works from America, France, and Japan. His favorite authors from each nation are Richard Brautigan (America), Albert Camus (France), and Osamu Dazai (Japan). Ultimately, his career goals are to become a Professor of American Literature or sustain himself off of his writing (whichever comes first). Outside of an English academic setting, August enjoys drawing, hiking, gaming, and getting tattoos."
Cael Sinclair graduated summa cum laude from VCU with a BA in English Spring of 2025. He can usually be found pursuing some sort of insane hands-on project which means his hands are always covered in ink. Coming from a tiny little town in Georgia, he instantly started doing as much as humanly possible at all times. During his undergraduate, he completed the Distinguished English Major program with his thesis Beside The Lines: The Illustrations of Dickens’ Pickwick Papers and Bleak House and How The Images Shape Reader Interpretation and completed an independent study titled Reconstructing The Mystery: Replicating Quire 15 of the Voynich Manuscript that focused on reconstructing a 15th century manuscript. His academic interests are book history, book binding, and manuscripts with a focus on scribal culture. He is specifically drawn to the idea of historical reconstruction and the way this lens can be applied to the English field. Outside of academia, he does historical swordfighting with VCU’s Historical European Martial Arts group and spends time with his 14 pound tuxedo cat named Addy!
Sarah Grace Vedomske graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2014 with a BS in Mass Communications and a minor in French. Since then, she has worked as an au pair in Amsterdam, an ESL tutor to students around the world, and a content writer for non-profits, Fortune 500 companies, and everything in between. She spent several years living in a cabin in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, where she earned a graduate certificate in Narrative Healthcare at Lenoir-Rhyne University. Sarah Grace is drawn to interdisciplinary studies, exploring the convergence of literature, writing, health, science, nature, and the unifying thread of consciousness that connects all beings and the world around them. In her free time, you can find her hiking the most challenging trail she can find, attempting DIY home improvement, or reading a library book next to her perfect cat, Prairie.
Hannah Weatherford graduated VCU with her BA in English, and is ecstatic to continue learning and expanding her horizons. She has a strong interest in queer and feminist studies. While she loves academia, her goal is ultimately to become an editor at a publishing house, and perhaps even publish a bit of writing of her own. Though reading and writing are her favorite pastimes, Hannah dreams of learning languages, traveling, and creating her very own black cat army.
Laura Brown graduated summa cum laude from VCU with a BA in English and minors in Creative Writing and Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies. She enjoyed her internship with VCU's Blackbird magazine and has a passion for meaningful language arts and literature. Her academic interests encompass textual analysis, character writing, and studying the impact and reach of literary works. During her undergraduate years at VCU, her passion for literature allowed her to connect with queer and feminist studies through queer and feminist literature.
Niki Goode graduated magna cum laude from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she majored in English and minored in Business. She has a strong interest in the intersections of mental health and literature, specifically in how literature often neglects mental health, especially in early 20th-century texts. Outside of her studies, Niki is an avid runner and dedicated yoga enthusiast—you’ll usually find her at Midtown Yoga or training for the Richmond Marathon, which she intends to run this fall. As a passionate traveler and self-declared coffee connoisseur, she’s always on the hunt for the best local cafés, usually with a good thriller book in hand.
Nikita Inamdar graduated magna cum laude from VCU in December 2024 with a BA in English, as well as earning minors in Creative Writing and Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies. Her research interests lie in postcolonial literature, magical realism, mythology, and climate fiction and how those respective genres can expand the world of South Asian Futurisms. Outside of her educational endeavors, Nikita is a self-proclaimed "cat auntie" who wishes to become a cat mother one day. She is also very fond of watching TV shows and movies (and getting emotionally attached to them), reading books (once again, getting emotionally attached to them), and writing in all forms. It is her hope to leave the country, adopt a cuddly cat, and become a Professor who potentially furthers research in South Asian Futurisms.
Dev Koch graduated summa cum laude from VCU with a BA in English and a minor in Creative Writing. For the last 4 years she has worked at the VCU Writing Center, committing herself to helping her fellow students while developing her skills as a writer and tutor. Her interests lie in weird literature and medieval texts, where they intersect thematically, and the ways that weird literature opens possibilities for imagining new ways of thinking and being. She is also interested in how weird literature's imagery has been transferred into new media like video games, with the meaning behind those images being altered. Dev integrates these interests into developing HTML text-based games, and is working toward a science-fantasy manuscript. She spends her time outside of school playing games, watching strange television, and writing haiku.
Nupur Lalla graduated from VCU with a BS in Psychology and BA in English from VCU in May 2025. She grew up in South Africa, and after migrating to the United States in 2018, she completed her high school and community college studies in Virginia before transferring to VCU for the remainder of her college career. At VCU, she has also served as an Undergraduate writing consultant at the VCU Writing Center and mentored new interns joining the staff and center. She joined the Accelerated MA program in 2024, with her interests lying in the publishing industry with a focus on the editorial process of publishing. When she is not focused on academic writing, Nupur enjoys writing poetry, lyrics, listening to music, and watching shows in many languages to gain an understanding and appreciation of different cultures. An unrealistic dream she has is to learn as many languages as possible after being a native speaker of three different languages, learner of three more languages in school, and current learner of Korean as she binges Korean dramas and variety shows.
Skylar Middleton graduated summa cum laude with her B.A. in English Literature from VCU in 2025. She loves Early American Literature, particularly focusing on early literature in Virginia. During her undergraduate studies, she participated in two semesters of the British Virginia Internship. Additionally, she was part of the Distinguished English Major program, where she completed a thesis titled “Reexamining Seventeenth-Century Travel Narratives and Unveiling Indigenous Histories of Virginia Through Henry Norwood’s A Voyage to Virginia.” She also participated in the 4+1 program during her senior year, which allowed her to enroll in graduate courses while still an undergraduate. One day, she hopes to work as an Archivist in a museum. If she’s not digging through old books and manuscripts, you can find her crafting with kids at Alma Bella Academy—and if she’s not there, she’s likely cooking a big bowl of pasta, watching TV, or out on a long walk.
Katie Nunnally graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2025 with a BA in English and a minor in Creative Writing. Her academic interests include Romanticism and how literature shapes emotional experiences, especially through themes like memory, trauma, and the ways the past continues to resonate. She is passionate about building a career in editing or publishing, where she can continue working closely with meaningful and emotionally resonant literature. Outside of her studies, Katie is a first-time mom to a bright and curious toddler, Archer, and spends most days chasing him and her German shepherd, Happy. She loves trying new restaurants, going to concerts, wine nights with close friends (probably rewatching twilight)
Jozie Perry graduated from VCU with a BA in English and is particularly interested in studying British Modernist literature with a focus on ecocriticism and feminism. She currently works as a Library Assistant for Chesterfield Public Libraries and loves her job but ultimately hopes to be an editor. In her free time (of which she has very little) you can find her reading in various different locations, talking about Virginia Woolf, trying new recipes in the kitchen, or taking embarrassingly long showers.
Sean Reed graduated from VCU in May 2025 with a BA in English. He is acutely aware of, but equally inspired by, how little he knows–a consciousness that fuels a passion for learning, listening, and reading. After completing two years of community college, then two years of VCU undergrad, being in an environment surrounded by increasingly high-level scholars is exhilarating. His zeal for critical analysis pairs well with a love for philosophy and pursuit of the spiritual. When not in class, Sean can be found reading, loving on his cat, or diving too deep into the lore of fictional universes. His favorite authors are Hermann Hesse and Leo Tolstoy, and he has a particular love for the Victorian novel and period pieces. In terms of goals, Sean has found the path presents itself when needed.
August Reynolds graduated from Virginia Tech in 2024 as a triple major in English Literature, Creative Writing, and Professional & Technical Writing. He was always the kid who hated reading and writing, but something shifted during the COVID-19 era and now this is all he does and wants to do—academically speaking. Whilst there, he particularly fell in love with 20th century works from America, France, and Japan. His favorite authors from each nation are Richard Brautigan (America), Albert Camus (France), and Osamu Dazai (Japan). Ultimately, his career goals are to become a Professor of American Literature or sustain himself off of his writing (whichever comes first). Outside of an English academic setting, August enjoys drawing, hiking, gaming, and getting tattoos."
Cael Sinclair graduated summa cum laude from VCU with a BA in English Spring of 2025. He can usually be found pursuing some sort of insane hands-on project which means his hands are always covered in ink. Coming from a tiny little town in Georgia, he instantly started doing as much as humanly possible at all times. During his undergraduate, he completed the Distinguished English Major program with his thesis Beside The Lines: The Illustrations of Dickens’ Pickwick Papers and Bleak House and How The Images Shape Reader Interpretation and completed an independent study titled Reconstructing The Mystery: Replicating Quire 15 of the Voynich Manuscript that focused on reconstructing a 15th century manuscript. His academic interests are book history, book binding, and manuscripts with a focus on scribal culture. He is specifically drawn to the idea of historical reconstruction and the way this lens can be applied to the English field. Outside of academia, he does historical swordfighting with VCU’s Historical European Martial Arts group and spends time with his 14 pound tuxedo cat named Addy!
Sarah Grace Vedomske graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2014 with a BS in Mass Communications and a minor in French. Since then, she has worked as an au pair in Amsterdam, an ESL tutor to students around the world, and a content writer for non-profits, Fortune 500 companies, and everything in between. She spent several years living in a cabin in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, where she earned a graduate certificate in Narrative Healthcare at Lenoir-Rhyne University. Sarah Grace is drawn to interdisciplinary studies, exploring the convergence of literature, writing, health, science, nature, and the unifying thread of consciousness that connects all beings and the world around them. In her free time, you can find her hiking the most challenging trail she can find, attempting DIY home improvement, or reading a library book next to her perfect cat, Prairie.
Hannah Weatherford graduated VCU with her BA in English, and is ecstatic to continue learning and expanding her horizons. She has a strong interest in queer and feminist studies. While she loves academia, her goal is ultimately to become an editor at a publishing house, and perhaps even publish a bit of writing of her own. Though reading and writing are her favorite pastimes, Hannah dreams of learning languages, traveling, and creating her very own black cat army.