Current Students

2025-2027 Cohort

lanier-brendan-webcrop

Brendan Lanier

Graduated with a Bachelor's in English from BGSU in 2022. Primarily works as a substitute teacher. Some of my favorite writers are Edgar Allan Poe, George Orwell and Cormac McCarthy. I am interested in history and psychology exploring those topics in literature.

butler-grace-cropped

Grace Butler

Grace Butler graduated with a B.A. in English and a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from BGSU in April 2024. She works as a project assistant at Epiphany Community Services, where her work consists mostly of copy editing, report writing, and marketing/social media. Academically, she is interested in class, gender, queer studies, history, and the intersection of literature with all aspects of culture and human life. Personally, Grace loves vampires, collecting library cards, Jeanette Winterson's entire body of work, and dreaming about the next time she gets to swim in a large body of water.

2024-2026 Cohort

altstaetter

Michelle Altstaetter

Michelle Altstaetter is a first-year M.A. student at Bowling Green. She received her B.A. in English from the Ohio State University at Lima in 2024. Michelle’s interests include Shakespeare, gender, class, Trailer Park Boys, and Diet Coke.

aryanfar-saba-new-photo-cropped

Saba Aryanfar

Saba Aryanfar earned her Bachelor's degree in English Translation with honors in 2015 in Iran. During her undergraduate years, she actively engaged in both written and oral translation to gain real-world experience.

Following graduation, she taught English to young learners and adults, focusing on ELS and IELTS preparation until 2024. That year, she began her MA in Textual and Literary Studies (Literature) at Bowling Green State University, where she currently serves as a writing consultant at the bachelor, master and PhD level. 

Family is her top priority, followed by her deep passion for film and travel. She especially enjoys films from the 1990s, drawn to the social and aesthetic atmosphere of that era. She personally analyzes the films she watches and is deeply interested in exploring the most iconic works in cinema history. 

She considers the United States her second home — not just a place for academic pursuit, but a space for personal growth, resilience, and transformation. She is grateful for the supportive people, caring faculty, and the life-changing opportunities this country has offered her.

Saba’s long-term goal is to become a university professor and continue teaching, as she views education as a sacred mission and finds deep fulfillment in academic and cultural work. 

As someone who believes in the power of communication and mutual understanding, one of her greatest hopes is to see improved diplomatic relations between Iran and the United States.

ellison-p-cropped

Phoenix Ellison

I received my BA in Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law (PPEL) from BGSU in April 2024. With a primary interest in deconstructionism and Marxist theory, I am passionate about exploring their intersections despite their different approaches. My scholarly pursuits aim to analyze literature through the lenses of economic and social implications rooted in historical materialism, while challenging established structures of language and interpretation. When I’m not studying, I enjoy traveling and photography.

Recent Program Graduates

2025 Graduates:

  • Sophia Michalski
  • Sarah Urbank
  • Sarah Webb
  • Ayşenur Zaza

2024 Graduates:

  • Alyotunde Afolabi
  • Ash Anteau
  • Aishat Babatunde
  • Ahmad Bilal
  • Joseph Elia
  • Savannah Packman

2023 Graduates:

  • Tooba Amin
  • Oluwatobi Idowu
  • Kennedy Lomont
  • Paul Viafranco
  • William Walton-Case

2022 Graduates:

  • Emily Eikost
  • Diana Etain
  • Consuela Jones
  • Akinkunmi Oseni
  • Britt Seese
  • Emma Vallandingham
  • Abigail Walters

Updated: 09/03/2025 03:46PM