Student Bios

Ava graduated cum laude from the University of Delaware in 2025 with a B.A. in English. She began her studies in English Education, hoping to become a high school teacher, but shifted her focus in her second year to explore alternative career paths and pursue a growing interest in critical theory. From here, Ava developed a love for speculative fiction, particularly Russian sci-fi and feminist dystopias. For her capstone thesis, she examined the role of anthropocentrism and patriarchal capitalism in the degradation of both women and the environment, using Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake as a case study. At Villanova, she hopes to deepen her study of speculative literature and as always, bring a feminist and intersectional perspective. In her senior year, Ava worked as a Content Writing Intern for the English department, where she helped promote new internship opportunities within the program and organize events related to professional development. She can’t wait to harness these skil...

Maggie Murtha graduated magna cum laude from Immaculata University with a B.A. in English and a secondary education teaching certificate. While at Immaculata, she found and developed an interest in Irish literature, particularly in 20th century Irish drama and its exploration of national identity and character. At Villanova, she hopes to continue her study of Irish literature, as well as to put her minor in Women’s Studies to good use in exploring issues of gender throughout various literature.   She currently works as an English teacher for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, teaching everything from classics like Macbeth and the Odyssey to rhetorical analysis through modern movies. In her free time, Maggie enjoys writing, playing video games, and is an avid musical theater fan.

Allison graduated from Purdue University in 2023 with a BA in English and minors in psychology and sociology. As an undergraduate, she was a member of the English honor society Sigma Tau Delta and a teaching assistant at the Purdue On-Campus/Online Writing Lab (OWL). She wrote her capstone thesis on the influences of capitalism and modern warfare on Kurt Vonnegut’s satirical short works. Post-graduation, Allison worked as a technical writer and focused on the accessibility of language. At Villanova, she’s excited to further her research on postmodern literature and the depictions of humanity and morality within it. In her free time, she enjoys trying new crafts, visiting state parks, and watching documentaries about history.