Meet the 2016-17 Staff
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Sydney Hubbel is working toward her Bachelor of Arts degree at Humboldt State University in English Writing Practices with minors in History and German Studies. After graduation, she is interested in continuing her education and her current work as a travel blogger in Berlin, Germany. Her ultimate career goal is to work on children's novels, both as a writer and publisher. She has a passion for travel and fantasy, passions she wishes to build her life on. Sydney is also a strong feminist and painter. You can access her website and blog here. (https://thehubbel.com/)
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Shiloh Green
This December, after three years of ambition-inflicted turbulence, Shiloh will obtain her Bachelors of Arts in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Community Organizing. Besides being one of the first Environmental Justice Editors for the Toyon this semester, Shiloh can be found earnestly researching Environmental Sociology graduate programs as a means to locate her next adventure. In her little free time, she enjoys drawing and analyzing fonts, and curates the #dogsofarcata photo series on Instagram. http://shilohcgreen.wixsite.com/landscapeadvocacy |
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As a self-proclaimed nature fanatic and lifelong resident of the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Miranda Olberg was inevitably drawn to attend Humboldt State University, where she is currently pursuing a Bachelor's in English. When she is not writing (or thinking about what to write), she can be found in an anatomically incorrect yoga pose or lounging lizard-style on her back porch. https://mirandaolberg.wordpress.com/
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Marina Fittinghoff
I am in the final year of my undergraduate degree in the Writing Practices pathway at Humboldt State University. I love language; I write in poetry and prose, and work as a Writing Consultant and as one of the Fiction Editors on the Toyon Literary Magazine. I love all things fantasy, especially JRR Tolkien, Jim Butcher, and Angela Carter. I was named after Marina Sirtis, who starred on Star Trek: The Next Generation. https://marinafittinghoff.wordpress.com/ |
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Maddy Kopsick
I am from the San Fernando Valley, California. I am an English Major in the Writing Practices Pathway, and will be graduating from HSU in the Spring of 2017. I have a deep passion for writing, and I am working towards becoming a published author. My goal as a writer is to provide an escape while also provoking deep thought and new realizations for my readers. It is my greatest hope to use my life and my work in a way that contributes towards the moral growth of our society. A few of my mentors are J.K. Rowling, John Steinbeck, George R.R. Martin, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. My dream is that my work may one day stand with theirs for as long as the stories remain relevant. www.thevirtualpen.weebly.com |
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Lydia Leonard-Rhodes
I'm an English: Writing Practices major here at HSU. Besides Toyon I also work in the Writing Studio here on-campus. My dream is to be a published author. I read in my free time and love pretty much ever genre. I'm a transfer student from College of the Redwoods Del Norte and am in my second of three years here. https://lydiamaeweb.wordpress.com/ |
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A senior at HSU who is currently working towards her B.A. in English writing practices, Kelley Ellion attended College of the Redwoods and has her associates degree in Liberal Arts Science Exploration. Kelley is working to soon become an editor and publisher for young adult fiction. Being a part of the Toyon staff will help her prepare for future job opportunities and will also motivate her to someday become a published Author. http://kelleyellion.weebly.com/
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From Westminister, CA (a town in Southern California - where palm trees line the streets), Jocelyn Aguilar is a senior at Humboldt State University planning to graduate as an English major (creative writing focus) with a minor in Linguistics and has hopes to volunteer and work for publishing companies so that someday she will be published! She recommends reading Juniper Tree Burning by Goldberry Long because tearjerker books are worth reading. Her literary guilty pleasures include books in the mafia genre because she may or may not want to be a part of it. As Toyon's Acquisitions Editor and Copy Editor, Jocelyn wants to be a part of the team to gain more experience in publishing. http://jjocelynaguilar.weebly.com/
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Jessica Stiles
I'm a fourth-year undergraduate at Humboldt State University, and should be graduating in Spring 2017, assuming that I haven't unwittingly neglected to complete some task that is absolutely essential to graduating. I probably have, but let's not talk about that right now.
In high school, I worked as a reporter and News Editor for two years; this gave me valuable knowledge and experience in the following areas: interviewing and reporting techniques and tactics, mentoring young journalists, attending conferences, newspaper design and formatting (including InDesign), and that perpetual sense of inadequacy you feel when your work is never done and never good enough.
I used to hate writing; part of that came from my belief that everything I wrote had to be perfect. Fortunately, I don't think that anymore. I believe that writing, and other literary and non-literary pursuits, are completely worth it if they give you a sense of fulfillment, and serve to enrich the relationships between people, whether that means finding common ground or exploring differences in a meaningful and constructive way.
My favorite color is red, I don't drink coffee unless it's blended with something else, and my favorite book is The Great Gatsby.
Although, I'm not really crazy about the idea of "choosing a favorite book." It's like if somebody handed me a basket of puppies and said "choose your favorite." How could I do such a thing? Also, I hope this happens to me. https://toyonpartyplanner.wordpress.com/
I'm a fourth-year undergraduate at Humboldt State University, and should be graduating in Spring 2017, assuming that I haven't unwittingly neglected to complete some task that is absolutely essential to graduating. I probably have, but let's not talk about that right now.
In high school, I worked as a reporter and News Editor for two years; this gave me valuable knowledge and experience in the following areas: interviewing and reporting techniques and tactics, mentoring young journalists, attending conferences, newspaper design and formatting (including InDesign), and that perpetual sense of inadequacy you feel when your work is never done and never good enough.
I used to hate writing; part of that came from my belief that everything I wrote had to be perfect. Fortunately, I don't think that anymore. I believe that writing, and other literary and non-literary pursuits, are completely worth it if they give you a sense of fulfillment, and serve to enrich the relationships between people, whether that means finding common ground or exploring differences in a meaningful and constructive way.
My favorite color is red, I don't drink coffee unless it's blended with something else, and my favorite book is The Great Gatsby.
Although, I'm not really crazy about the idea of "choosing a favorite book." It's like if somebody handed me a basket of puppies and said "choose your favorite." How could I do such a thing? Also, I hope this happens to me. https://toyonpartyplanner.wordpress.com/
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As a Studio Arts major based out of Ventura county, Jesi Hamilton feels most at home when around different art forms such as design, print making, ceramics, and jewelry. Through artist statements she’s discovered her passion for writing and is now honored to be one of the Visual and Layout editors for the Toyon Literary Magazine. Like many individuals Jesi is trying to find the balance between living a whole hearted life while still creating work of her own. Her approach grows strictly from inspiration. This is where she gets her drive to produce. By allowing emotions so close to one's heart to surface, they grow from just words on a page, into a piece of her. Throughout her journey she’s found that the art of writing makes the world a little less scary. http://jesihamilton.weebly.com
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Jared Amerman is a Studio Arts major from a sleepy little town in southern California. Born and raised on a horse ranch, he learned that his place is the quieter parts of the world surrounded by nature. He spent 6 years before transferring to Humboldt State University as a Classified Substitute teacher for the Lake Elsinore Unified School District, teaching and tutoring students in Maths, Sciences and English. He plans to prepare to take classes to become a volunteer for the the Humboldt branch of Search and Rescue. His passion is to tell stories though visual mediums and the written word. He is working towards using the experience he gains at Humboldt State University to break into the professional world as a freelance artist and publisher. http://jamerman.weebly.com/
Jan Calderon
This is Jan here. Mostly void, partially stars. Current Literary Translator for the Toyon. Finishing up a B.A. Degree in English with an emphasis in crying over student loans at Humboldt State University. Spends more time thinking about writing than actually writing. http://jancalderon.weebly.com
This is Jan here. Mostly void, partially stars. Current Literary Translator for the Toyon. Finishing up a B.A. Degree in English with an emphasis in crying over student loans at Humboldt State University. Spends more time thinking about writing than actually writing. http://jancalderon.weebly.com
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Originally from Los Angeles, Jacquelyn Lowe is an English major at Humboldt State. Her creative work encompasses a variety of genres but focuses primarily on issues that deal with social class, addiction, and the attitudes and behaviors that women have surrounding intimacy and sexual agency. She is driven to work with young people and after graduating from HSU plans on obtaining a teaching credential to work with incarcerated or “at-risk” youth. Jacquelyn deeply advocates the therapeutic value of gardening and believes that this process, in combination with reflective creative writing workshops, can help troubled youth correct negative behavioral patterns, develop renewed curiosity, and provide an outlet for healing from various traumas and emotional disturbances. She is the Print and Radio Media Liaison on the Marketing and Promotions team of the Toyon and is most interested in establishing a working understanding of publishing and the digital platforms associated. https://jacquelynloweblog.wordpress.com/
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Grace Hart is from Los Angeles, but never seemed to fit in. She feels happiest when she is surrounded by nature and attempts to live life as simply as possible. As an English major at Humboldt State University her main goal is to maintain good time management between classes, work, and spending time with mother nature. She's always had a strong relationship with reading and writing, but also attended culinary school for two years, and was in theater productions for more than half her life. She loves dogs more than humans, otter-pops more than ice cream, and her favorite book is Walden by Henry David Thoreau.
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Grant Rowley is a senior at HSU and is majoring in English with a focus on literary studies. He didn't originally like Spanish all that much when he first started taking classes in high school, but he quickly learned to love the language and now hopes to graduate with a minor in Spanish. He enjoys taking all the linguistics classes that he can fit into his schedule, studying Spanish, and reading. http://grantrowley.wordpress.com
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Gabby Szmidt I am from Napa, California, and I have never been wine tasting. I am an English Major in the Creative Writing Pathway at Humboldt State University. I will be graduating in Spring of 2017. I am one of the Visual Arts and Layout Editors for the Toyon staff of Fall 2016. I plan on going to get my Masters in Teaching after my time at HSU. I would like to teach High School Juniors or Seniors preferably. I am currently reading my way through the Percy Jackson Series in my "free" time. Other wise I read what is assigned to me at school, or fan fiction. http://gszmidt.weebly.com/
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Claudia Jimenez
Hello! I am an editor. I enjoy both reading and developing books. I will be doing my best for the Toyon Literary Magazine this semester and I hope to see great results! In my free time, I either read or watch Netflix, otherwise I'm doing homework or working on the latest novel I've been asked to edit. I do both broader edits and smaller ones and I love to work with the authors of the books-in-progress. I wish you luck and happiness on your endeavors and ask that you wish me happiness and luck on mine! https://claudia3191.wordpress.com/ |
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Ciera Townsley-McCormick
I am an Environmental Studies undergraduate with an emphasis in Media Production at Humboldt State University. After taking an environmental photography class and a social justice filming class I became interested in the world of media production and social media’s ability to reach a broad audience. I wanted to gain some experience and was asked to help edit a professor’s book, for which I am very grateful as that experience cemented my love for all things media. Writing, drawing, painting, photography, and all forms of communication are endlessly intriguing and so I have taken on the role of Social Media Manager for the Toyon Literary Magazine. https://cieratownsleymccormick.wordpress.com |
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Brooke Minner is a senior at HSU majoring in English Literary Studies and minoring in Writing. Born and raised in the city of Orange, California, Brooke enjoys reading and writing poetry, watching movies and writing screenplays of her own. In her free time, she also loves staying active and exploring the outdoors, going to concerts, attending and participating in slam poetry events, and cooking eccentric things! After graduation Brooke hopes to become fluent in Spanish and plans on teaching English abroad before moving back to southern California to pursue an education in film and screenwriting. https://brookeminner.wordpress.com/
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Brianna Lucero was born and raised in San Diego, then moved to Humboldt County for her college career. Within the first two years at Humboldt State University her passion for creative writing blossomed and she finally made the choice to major in English, with and emphasis in creative writing. Brianna hopes to take the experience and skills she's gained during college and use them to enter the publishing world. After graduating college she wants to start with small publications but ultimately she would love to work for Dark Horse Comics or Vertigo Comics. http://briannalucero.weebly.com/
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Returning for a second year, Anthony (A.J) McGough is the new Archivist Editor and co-Event Coordinator for Toyon. The grand aspiration to be a young adult writer is alive and kicking, but in the meantime, he plans to get a master's degree in Library Sciences. When he's not writing (which happens more than it should) he's reading, playing video games, or practicing archery. http://ajmcgough.weebly.com/
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Ángela Ibarra is an English major with an emphasis in creative writing at Humboldt State University. A poet herself, Ángela intends to fill her position as Poetry Editor with the grace and enthusiasm it deserves. In the future, Ángela hopes to publish a book of poetry and short stories and work in a publishing house. Some of her favorite poets include Pablo Neruda, Ryan Adams, and Sylvia Plath. https://angelaibarra.wordpress.com/
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A junior at HSU, Angela Compton is an author who self-published her first novel! Aside from publishing, she also hopes to someday teach creative writing at the University of Iowa. Her favorite book is The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. Her favorite characters are Nico di Angelo from Rick Riordan's Greek & Roman mythology series; her favorite video games with surrounding lore are Overwatch, Fallour 4, and Dragon Age: Inquisition. She joined the team to learn more about the publishing process and to meet fellow English majors and writers. Her professional website and progress for the Fall 2016 semester can be found here.(http://ascm.weebly.com)
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Born and raised in Humboldt County, Anastasia Rivera is an English major focusing on creative writing in her senior year at Humboldt State University. President and Co-founder of the HSU Poetry Club, she is excited to deepen her relationship with the subject in her role as Poetry Editor for Toyon. While she doesn’t know what direction she wants to go in after graduation, she knows that she will go with pencil in hand. https://anastasiarivera.wordpress.com/
From Riverside, CA, Amanda Walker is working towards her English Writing Practices degree at Humboldt State University. After graduation, she is interested in furthering her education as an environmental writer. With her love for writing and her experience on how to be more environmentally and globally aware at Humboldt, Amanda hopes she could help inspire and motivate her Southern California homeland to learn and practice sustainability as well as become more environmentally aware. She has a passion for animals, writing poetry, and reading National Geographic and ZooNooz. She is the Artist's and Writer's Communities Liaison for Toyon. http://amandavillicanawalk.weebly.com/
