Meet the MAR Interns!
Our undergraduate interns form a valued core of the Mid-American Review office. They read and discuss submissions alongside the graduate staff, but they also manage the mail and literary journals library, learn typesetting and copyediting, and assist with event preparations. We asked this semester’s staff some important questions about their experience.
Question: What is your favorite office beverage and snack?
Logan: Coffee of COURSE. I’m a highly functional caffeine addict and am so grateful that my addiction is consistently fed to drive my work, day after day.
Denver: The chocolate croissants from Costco. As for drinks, I bring my own matcha but the Grounds coffee is really good too. [Grounds for Thought is a local coffee and used book store.]
Jacob: Coffee and oatmeal are a go-to for me, but sometimes I enjoy a cup of tea instead.
Maddie: My favorite office beverage would be strawberry hibiscus açaí tea (only partially because it’s hot pink). It’s a drink that helps me unwind and get into the groove of reading.
Question: How would you describe the office vibe?
Maddie: I would describe the office vibe as chill and laid back. It is the one place on campus where I can come and unwind after my other classes. However, it does get a little chaotic when we’re all in the office because we all love to talk to each other.
Jacob: The office is a cozy den that makes it easy to focus and get work done. Everyone around the office is really friendly and helpful as well.
Logan: It’s very chill and relaxed—a nice place to really lock in with your work. Of course, when there’s a lot of people there, though, not much gets done because we all love to chat it up.
Denver: Quiet and peaceful, but also a great place for community. One of my favorite places on campus. I choose to be here even when I’m not on the clock.
Question: What is the best thing you’ve learned this term?
Logan: I think I’ve learned to be confident in my judgments (forwarding things I have to the entire staff to look at and discuss) this semester, as well as how to talk about craft elements in a story in a way I haven’t before. As an English literature major I’m used to discussing elements of meaning and interpretation, and while that’s still important here, I’ve learned how to discuss and analyze specifics in the writing and delivery that are important for conveying the overall message and intention of a story.
Maddie: I have gotten to learn so many things this semester. The most useful has been copyediting. it’s something I had a little bit of experience with before being an intern, but as I’ve gotten to work more with it I really enjoy it. Being an intern here has also gotten me more confident when talking to others about my opinions. As a psychology major, I’ve mostly been taught to be analytical when it comes to reading, but in MAR I am able to connect with other writers and I’ve been able to learn to see creative writing in a different light.
Denver: I’ve learned a lot about grad school from the MFA students, which has made me want to apply to MFA programs later in life.
Jacob: I have really enjoyed learning about the various writing styles among all the people who submit to MAR. I also enjoy learning about all the systems behind the scenes that it takes for MAR to operate.
Question: Our interns, along with the rest of the staff, read and pass around many submissions each week. We all have favorites, whether or not those submissions are accepted. Tell us about your recent faves.
Denver’s favorite piece from this term is “Creed” by Pam Baggett: “A poem with beautiful golden nature imagery that caught my attention. It makes me think of the harvest and the images of late summer.”
Logan’s favorite piece from the term is “Homeschooling Bashemath” by Jo Wallce. About it he writes: “I’m not sure exactly what I should say about this piece, because it’s surprising and shocking in the best way. Gorgeously combining religion and family drama in a short story, I love how this work takes a witty, comedic swing at describing something that could easily fall into melodrama or over-explanation.”
Jacob’s favorite is “Smithereens” by Katherine Maxfield: “It blended humor with historical fiction in a way that really spoke to me.”
Maddie’s favorite was “Small Hands” by David Lawrence Morse: “It was a weirder piece in which many townsfolk had their hands turned into different weird things. There was a lady in the story whose hands had turned into mongooses and another whose hands turned into butterflies and flew away. I thought it was incredibly interesting.”
Question: Our interns are highly involved on campus. What are some extra curricular you are involved in?
Logan: I work as a Lifeguard/Swim Instructor at the YMCA, as well as serve as an actor and consultant for a program with NEOMed in Northeast Ohio. On campus, I’m involved in MuTS [a Musical Theatre student org] and often participate in the plays and musicals on campus through the Wolfe.
Jacob: I do community service for the Thompson Scholars program on campus.
Denver: I’m the president of Queer Literature Club!
Maddie: I work as a direct support professional for individuals with intellectual disabilities at Bittersweet Farms. On campus, I am an alto saxophone player in the Falcon Marching Band at BGSU [and recently traveled to Ireland to perform with the band in Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day parade!].
