Haley Johnson - Voices Letter from the Editor

Welcome to Voices!

My name is Haley Johnson (she/her). Some things about me: I am a sophomore here at Roger Williams University majoring in English Literary Studies and minoring in Creative Writing. I am from Berlin, CT, I work part time as a barista at Empire Tea and Coffee in Bristol, I was an Orientation Advisor this past summer, I play guitar and bass in a band called High Tide, and I am secretary of Music Club! 

So far in my time here at Roger Williams University I have had the pleasure of taking various English courses that have strengthened my critical thinking skills. These classes have given me the opportunity to showcase my creativity and intelligence by exposing me to new pieces of literature that I interpret through essays and discussions. So far my favorite class this semester is Finding Ourselves, taught by Dr. Jacobs. I deeply value the material we’ve been diving into, I get to look at different types of media and compare them. I really enjoy that I have gotten to read a novel and directly compare it to its film adaptation. Looking at themes through a cinematic lens has been really interesting! My favorite book so far has been Call me By Your Name by Andre Aciman. 

I was introduced to Voices last year through my novice position as a FITz intern for the English department. It was amazing to get hands-on experience working with the other interns. I went to various open houses and accepted students' days to show students what being an English student at RWU can look like. I’ve also been a part of many events like “Book Nook” and “Bookmark Bash”. I have little experience with Voices so far, but I am excited to learn more about the magazine and start out as a novice editor! I am also thrilled to be working as a FITz intern once again this year-- this semester has been amazing so far!

I hope that Voices is a fun, creative, and safe space for you all. I encourage everyone reading this to take a look at the amazing work students have done here, and to submit their own work. It is truly some of the best work I’ve had the pleasure of reading. 

Much love,

Haley Johnson