Proust Questionnaire – Cecilia Garcia Luengas
Cecilia Garcia Luengas is a junior English Language and Literature major. She transferred from Southeastern Community College in Keokuk, Iowa. Garcia is originally from Mexico…
Coffee Talk – McKenna Schillinger
This was a live edited interview between Carter L. Myers and McKenna Schillinger, conducted on March 26th, 2026. McKenna Schillinger is in pursuit of an…
Coffee Talk – Karissa L. Geisinger
Karissa is a senior English major and Creative Writing minor at Western Illinois University. In their free time, they like to watch films, see live…
What’s Your Bag? w/ Stephanie Bendeck Roman
M&L: What’s your bag? SBD: I actually received this bag from my older brother as a gift at my high school graduation party! He knows…
Proust Questionnaire – Jennifer Egan
This was a live edited interview between Karissa Geisinger and Jennifer Egan, conducted on March 5th, 2026. Jennifer Egan is a Brooklyn-based novelist and journalist.…
Unpacking My Library: Dr. Alisha White
Dr. Alisha White is originally from Illinois but moved away when she was five, first to Restin, Virginia and then to Atlanta, Georgia. She was…
Unpacking My Library: Shaylie Muehl
Shaylie Muehl is a junior at Western Illinois University, majoring in Professional Writing and minoring in Communications. M&L: What genre makes up most of your…
What’s Your Bag? w/ Dr. Roberta Di Carmine
M&L: What’s your bag? RD: I bought this bag from my favorite store, T.J. Maxx! I enjoy visiting the store in Macomb now that they…
What’s Your Bag? w/ Dr. Alisha White
M&L: What’s your bag? AW: My red handbag is a great find from a secondhand shop. I love a cross-body bag that holds lots of…
Unpacking My Library: Carter Myers
Carter Myers is a junior at Western Illinois University (WIU). They are in pursuit of an English Major and three minors: Creative Writing, Professional Writing,…
Unpacking My Library: Lauren Bell
Lauren Bell is an undergraduate student at Western Illinois University majoring in Speech Pathology & Audiology while minoring in Creative Writing. She loves to read…
Coffee Talk – Dr. Lisa Parzefall
As of August 2025, Dr. Lisa Parzefall is the Writing Program Director at Western Illinois University (WIU). Her interests include, but are not limited to,…
Unpacking My Library: Cecilia Garcia Luengas
Cecilia is a junior English major and psychology minor at WIU. She is a transfer student from Southeastern Community College in Keokuk, Iowa, currently residing…
Coffee Talk – Dr. Merrill Cole
Dr. Merrill Cole enjoys writing poetry, teaching, translating, queer theorizing, and just being his authentic queer self. A total cat fanatic, he also loves his…
What’s Your Bag? w/ Graeme Beckman
M&L: What’s your bag? GB: My bag is a satchel that was passed down to me from my dad when he attended school here. He…
Coffee Talk – Carter Myers
Carter is a junior English Literature & Language Major at Western Illinois University, and their interests include Doctor Who, politics, and adaptation in literature. Myers’…
My Life in Four Books: Abigail Jones
1) What book was most important to you in high school? Why? I read constantly when I was in high school. I would devour books…
Coffee Talk – Barbara Lawhorn
Barbara Lawhorn teaches composition and creative writing at Western Illinois University (WIU). She has fiction forthcoming in Iron Horse Literary Review, where she was a finalist in the…
What’s Your Bag? w/ Mara Kelley
M&L: What’s your bag? MK: I’m an online student, so I attend all of my classes virtually in the breakroom of my office job. Since…
My Life in Four Books: Samantha Adcock
1) What book was most important to you in high school? Why? Tenderness and I Am the Cheese by Robert Cormier. I read them over and over again…
My Life in Four Books: Marjorie Allison
1) What book was most important to you in high school? Why? I would say that the most important book that I read during high…
Unpacking My Library: Karissa Geisinger
Karissa Geisinger is a senior at Western Illinois University (WIU). She’s an English major, creative writing minor, and a writer and editor for The Mirror &…
Proust Questionnaire – Dr. Lisa Parzefall
As of August 2025, Dr. Lisa Parzefall is the Writing Program Director at Western Illinois University (WIU). Her interests include, but are not limited to,…
Proust Questionnaire – Dr. Matthew Balk
Dr. Matthew Balk is the University Writing Center Director at Western Illinois University. M&L: What is your idea of perfect happiness? MB: A cool rainy…
Unpacking My Library: Daniel Malachuk
Daniel Malachuk is a professor of English at Western Illinois University (WIU). Professor Malachuk has been teaching literature and composition at WIU since 2007. M&L:…
Unpacking My Library: Barbara Lawhorn
Barbara Lawhorn is an Associate Professor of English at Western Illinois University. Professor Lawhorn teaches creative writing and composition classes. M&L: What genre makes up…
Proust Questionnaire – Kenny Wheeler
Kenny Wheeler is the English Undergraduate Advisor at Western Illinois University. M&L: What is your idea of perfect happiness? KW: Happiness for me simply just…
Coffee Talk: Alexis Minasian
M&L: What is your coffee order? AM: My year round go-to coffee order is an iced caramel macchiato or latte depending on how much caffeine…
Proust Questionnaire — Nick Rush
Alumni, Nick Rush B.A., former managing editor of The Mirror & the Lamp. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Gosh. I think the perfect…
Unpacking My Library: Ashley Beardsley
Dr. Ashley Beardsley is an Assistant Professor of English at Western Illinois University and the Director of the University Writing Center (UWC). Prior to becoming…
