Faculty Advisor

Susan Varnot

Since joining UC Merced in 2007, Susan Varnot has been active in Writing Studies, including founding the UC Merced Creative Writing Collaboratorium, a multi-campus conference, and curating the Write! Look! Listen! reading and workshop series. She has also been active in general education, assessment and review processes, the UC Merced Undergraduate Research Journal, student clubs and events, as well as other campus initiatives and projects. These areas of engagement and inquiry stem from her teaching and research interests in collaborative, integrative, anti-racist, and empowering pedagogy and praxis, creative writing, interdisciplinarity, poetry, and creativity studies.

Editor-in-Chief

Evelyn Roque

Evelyn is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UC Merced pursuing a degree in Management and Business Economics (B.A.) with a minor in Professional Writing. Following graduation, Evelyn plans to become an audit accountant at an internationally recognized firm. While at UC Merced, Evelyn was a writing consultant at the University Writing Center and emphasized the importance of emotional intelligence in writing. In this, Evelyn cultivated her intrapersonal communication and written communication skills by giving feedback on a multitude of papers, including literature reviews, research articles, personal essays, and more. Evelyn foresees a career in the audit accounting industry while pursuing her CPA license. Evelyn also plans to go into graduate school to pursue an MBA focusing after gaining experience within the field.

Managing Editor of Editorial Workflow

Emily Le

 Emily is a second-year undergraduate student at UC Merced pursuing a degree in Biology with an emphasis in Microbiology and Immunology. She is a research assistant in Dr. Sogin’s lab working with sea anemones (aiptasia) studying their physiological responses to changes in their environment through bacterial cultures. Outside of academic settings, she can be found in restaurants and boba stores trying out new dishes and drinks! She likes playing badminton and video games, and loves collecting small trinkets, magazines, and photocards!

Managing Editor of Outreach

Christopher Finley

Christopher Finley is a third-year undergraduate student at UC Merced pursuing a degree in English. He hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in English focusing on Ecocriticism and specifically waste as it relates to both to identity of the self, and the body politic. He is a nontraditional student who believes in the power of words to enact meaningful change to ourselves and the world. 

Humanities  & Arts Section Editor

Guadalupe Castaneda Zavala

Guadalupe is a third-year undergraduate student at UC Merced pursuing a degree in English, with a minor in Writing Studies. Her plans after graduating college is to attend graduate school in order to pursue her goal of becoming a community college professor. Besides reading, she enjoys watching movies and listening to music. 

Humanities  & Arts Section Editor

Christopher Finley

Social Sciences Section Editor

Yu Fang Tseng

Yu Fang  is a third-year undergraduate student at UC Merced pursuing a degree in Psychology with a minor in Cognitive Science. Her long-term goal is to become a Clinical Psychologist helping individuals with ADHD & other neurodivergence. Currently, she is an RA in Dr. Isbell’s l.D.E.A lab where they do research based on EEG (electroencephalogram) data! Boba is her favorite food, and she enjoys playing video games in her free time. 

Social Sciences Section Editor

Henry Pacheco

Henry Pacheco is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UC Merced pursuing a degree in Political Science with a minor in Writing. Wanting to “run toward the outdoors” is one of the many interests that has crossed his path although he hopes it remains permanent, unlike those of the past. He also hopes his desire to become an English teacher isn’t fleeting either. Henry enjoys nature, nature writing, the Meateater TV show and podcast, and aspires to go hunting to measure whether the activity matches with the anticipation he has built up for it for so long.

STEM Section Editor

Keith Buchignani

Keith is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UC Merced pursuing a degree in Environmental Systems Science with a minor in both Geo-spatial Technologies and Creative Writing.  He enjoys the outdoors, nature, and has trekked to the top of Half Dome twice.  Recently he found solace in creative writing, and now enjoys learning about the intersections of creative and professional writing. An interesting fact about Keith is that he is a published poet!

Social Media & Online Publicity Director

Sheila Chavez Perez

Sheila is a second-year undergraduate student at UC Merced pursuing a degree in Public Health with a minor in Writing. She is from the Bay Area. She is also a first generation student exploring opportunities out of her career field – how cool is managing a research journal? Her favorite color is green. She loves true crime, and has a puppy named Pickles.

Social Media & Online Publicity Director

Genesis Iniguez-Espinoza

Genesis is a first-year undergraduate student at UC Merced pursuing a degree in Writing Studies. She is from a small town called Orosi (near Fresno). A fun fact about Genesis is that she is currently writing a fantasy/romance book and hopes to publish it soon after she finishes it! She has a tabby cat named Suga (based off of her favorite kpop group: BTS) back in her hometown, and she loves the color pink. 

Secretary & Club Manager

Angel Perez

Angel is a first-year undergraduate student at UC Merced pursuing a degree in Psychology with a minor in Writing Studies. He looks forward to taking his education in the field of Clinical Psychology and further help individuals suffering from mental health complications. He enjoys listening to bands such as Pink Floyd and taking in the outside world.

Campus Outreach, Publicity, & Events Coordinator

Guadalupe Castaneda Zavala