Written by Anna Stowe, Hope College Creative Writing Major and Student Managing Editor for the English Department
Alumni Spotlight:
Eileen Ellis (’23)
What do you do now? And we’d love to hear a bit about how you got there as well.
Currently, I am in my first semester in the University of Houston’s M.F.A. in Creative Writing (poetry, specifically)! I didn’t realize I was interested in pursuing an MFA until the spring semester of my Senior year (nor did I think I was “good enough”), and as such, I missed the deadline to apply for programs that started in the fall of 2023, but I’m actually very grateful of that since in taking a gap year, I could focus on my applications without the added stress of school, as well as work full time and save some money. Although I am only a handful of weeks into my program, I am really enjoying being back in an academic environment where both my intellect and creativity are fueled and nurtured by wonderful, brilliant people.
How did you Hope English education shape you?
Speaking of being in an environment where I was lucky enough to be surrounded by wonderful, brilliant people, that is what shaped me the most during my time at Hope College. Without the people at Hope who took a personal interest in my poetry and who believed in both me and my writing, I would not be where I am today. To that end, I would be remiss if I did not express my gratitude to Professor Peschiera, Professor Childress, and Professor Burton, as well as everyone I worked with at Opus and in the many, many workshops in my creative writing classes.
What advice would you give to current English majors or students considering an English major?
To anyone majoring in English or considering it, and especially those interested in English as creative writers, I would first emphasize the importance of being an active participant in workshops. It’s always exciting (and/or nerve-racking) to get your writing workshopped, but I think the most important part of workshop is giving constructive feedback to your peers. I would argue people learn the most and improve their writing the most when workshopping other people’s writing. My second piece of advice would be to get involved outside of your classes. For me, I found a home in Opus and in studying abroad in Dublin, but Hope also has lots of other organizations worth getting involved in. Whether they be related to English/creative writing or not, they will add flavor to your life.
Favorite book read recently?
My favorite book that I read recently was for a class I’m in right now that focuses on the relationship between creativity (especially that of creative writers) and consciousness. The novel This is Why I Came by Mary Rakow is about a woman who, while waiting in line for confession, retells herself stories from the Bible using beautiful lyrical prose that essentially turns the novel into a book of poetry. I think part of why I enjoyed this book so much is that it wasn’t something I would’ve picked up on my own and yet I liked it so much, I plan to read it again (which I almost never do) when I have the time!
What do you wish we’d asked, and what would your answer be?
I wish you’d asked, “Hey, Eileen, did you happen to get a cat in Houston?,” and I would’ve answered, “yes and his name is Loki, he is my perfect baby boy (he’s actually about 2.5 years old), and he likes to sleep with his face smooshed into the armrest of the couch.”
