Staff Page

Staff

Avery McIlquham is a Legal Studies major and an English minor. She is a Junior and this is her first year as Inkwell’s General Editor and is super excited to watch it grow. Writing is her escape from a long hard day and she loves nothing more than to curl up with a good book and cup of tea. She is a big fall girl so can’t wait to sit outside and read this coming fall!

Maddy Mumme is a Psychology major with minors in communication disorders and sciences (CDIS) and communication. She is also working on earning her American Sign Language Certificate from MSU. Maddy is a Junior here at Bethany and is involved in S.T.O.R.M. (Serving Through Outreach, Relief, and Missions), Psych club, Bethany Activities Committee (BAC), a tutor in the Writing Center, and is this year’s Graphic Design Editor of Inkwell. When she is not in class or has the rare chance of not having homework, you can find Maddy around campus or with friends. Writing freely on a piece of paper is one way Maddy likes to calm her mind. Maddy is excited and grateful to be a part of this year’s amazing Inkwell team!

Jordyn Risse is an English Secondary Education major and is so excited for her second year being a part of the Inkwell team. She loves all things English, including poetry, fiction, non-fiction, theater, and graphic novels. When she graduates next fall she hopes to teach an English class with middle school students. Jordyn loves writing poetry more than anything else, even though she sometimes dabbles in short stories. She sees poetry as a way to figure out how she is feeling, but in a fun, creative environment. In her free time(what little she has at least) she enjoys reading, going out with friends, and going on hikes.

Bridget McIlquham is an English major with a concentration in multimedia writing. She’s on the path for library sciences as her dream job is to work in the library system. If she’s not in classes or doing homework she’s probably hanging out with friends or reading. Reading is basically her life and will read pretty much everything. She’s involved in the art department, the BLC Studios broadcasting team and of course Inkwell.

Ethan Lozano is a Legal Studies/ Criminal Justice major and English minor. Ethan is a Junior and is involved in many things around campus such as Inkwell, Student Senate, and as one of the captains of the Mock Trial team. One of his favorite things to read is interesting legal cases such as Nix v. Hedden. Ethan loves to write whether it be for a speaking competition or just for leisure. Outside of Bethany’s walls Ethan Lozano likes to volunteer as a speech and debate judge for the twin city area highschool’s. Ethan is looking forward to working with the Inkwell this year!

Lydia Palmquist is an English major with a multimedia-writing emphasis and an American studies minor. Since her freshman year, she has been active in writing for the Scroll while participating in other clubs on campus. While her love of journalism is newly discovered, she has always enjoyed reading and writing. From a young age, she has devoured many books (her favorites being historical fiction) and continues to value the fleeting moments lost in a moving story. Some of her other favorite pastimes include bird watching, hiking, catching creatures, and hanging out with friends.

Claire Dale is a Freshman Studio Arts major with an intense love for anything creative. She loves reading and writing all sorts of things, like poetry or fiction, and also loves doing various forms of visual art (which is what makes Inkwell so important to her!) If she’s not in class or hanging out with friends, she’s probably starting a new crochet project or working on an unfinished one.

Renee Geving is a Junior Music major. She is involved in and loves being a part of almost all the music ensembles on campus. This year she started and is president of the new Bethany Pep Band (club), and became the head stage manager for the fall play; What Child Is This written by Peter Bloedel. With also a minor in English, emphasis on Multimedia writing, she keeps herself extra busy by working as a tutor in the Writing Center. She loves to write so much she submitted (and was published) in the 2024 edition of Inkwell! Outside of campus, she directs the Risen Savior grade school band and teaches private lessons. She works as a CNA in a nursing home and loves being around people. If you see her around, don’t be shy to say hi!

Norah Kratz is a Sophomore double major in Studio Arts and English, with a minor in Communication. On campus, she enjoys participating in Band, Mary Martha choir, Art Service, Theater, The Scroll, Yearbook, and, of course, Inkwell. In the meantime, she loves to paint and draw, to walk and write, and to read and talk. Exploring ideas and experiencing the world are intensely important to her, as well as her faith and the people she is blessed to be surrounded with. Inkwell is an ideal way to both generate new ideas and connect with others, and she’s excited to be on the staff this year. ᯓ★

Ruby Moya Velazquez is a Junior who majors in Business Administration with an emphasis in both Finance/Investment and Entrepreneurship. She also minors in Psychology and English (she’s a busy girl). She loves to read and write different pieces on personal growth and life reflection as well as creating visual artwork in her spare time. On campus, you can find her going for a walk, on a late night drive, working in the Writing Center or in an InkWell meeting! 🙂

Sevanna Jenkins is an English major with an emphasis on multimedia writing and is currently a junior at Bethany. This is her first year at Inkwell and she’s super excited to be on the team. Though she doesn’t do much around campus when she’s not in classes she loves to hang out with her friends, read a good book (mainly fiction but also loves poetry), or word-vomiting onto a page (she loves to write anything creative).

Taylor Theiste is an English major with the dream of being a screenwriter someday. She is a senior this year, and is so excited to finish out her time at Bethany surrounded by all of the lovely people in Inkwell! Taylor has always had a fondness for fiction (especially horror) and you can usually find her lugging around at least two Steven King books in the tote bag she uses as a backpack. In her free time she can be spotted doting on her cat Finnegan (adorable, fat, orange), making fun of bad horror movies with her boyfriend, and jotting down ideas or doodling on any scrap paper she can find.

Lars Johnson is a Professor of English at Bethany Lutheran College. In his spare time he collects well-wrought urns, which he especially likes to smash, break into a thousand, thousand shards, then reconfigure the pieces into . . . a globed fruit, an old medallion, or something useful like hands that can grasp, eyes / that can dilate / hair that can rise. He believes, sometimes desperately, that lit mags ought to be (like a poem) well-wrought, shining shards that gleam and sing beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

P.S. He would like to thank Cleanth Brooks, Archibald MacLeish, Marianne Moore, and John Keats for helping him with his bio.

Staff

Avery Mcilquham

Maddy Mumme

Jordyn Risse

Bridget mcilquham

Ethan Lozano

lydia Palmquist

Claire Dale

Renee geving

Norah Kratz

ruby Moya velazquez

sevanna jenkins

taylor Thistle

Lars Johnson