

































William Bittner is a freshman at the University of Mississippi, where he studies 
Arabic and public policy leadership. He currently serves as Lead Peer Educator 
for Rallying Against Sexual Assault and as President of the John Quincy Adams 
Society, while his creative interests emphasize new interpretations of American 
popular history. His work has been published in Parallax, Crashtest, Paper 
Crane, and others, and has been recognized by the Alabama Writers' Forum 
and the Southern Literary Arts Festival.

Karam Burjas is a junior honors student at Temple University majoring in 
global studies with a concentration in global security. He is also minoring in 
Arabic and political science. His academic and professional interests include 
human rights, international law, migration policy, and West Asian North 
African studies. He has spent a semester abroad in Amman, Jordan, where he 
studied international relations and Arabic through the School for International 
Training. Presently, he serves as a Congressional A!airs Intern at the Arab 
Center Washington DC. At Temple, he is a"liated with the Pi Sigma Alpha and 
Phi Beta Kappa honor societies and contributes as an editor to MUNDI, the 
global studies undergraduate journal.

Cli! Butler is a sophomore in the University Honors Program at the University 
of Alabama at Birmingham, pursuing a BA in English with a concentration in 
literature and a minor in linguistics, with a particular interest in Shakespeare. 
He proudly serves on the editorial team for Sanctuary: !e Literary Arts Journal 
of the Southern Regional Honors Council. Cli! is also the Vice President of 
the Ballroom Dance Society at UAB and is a regionally competitive and social 
dancer in various categories and styles. A#er he completes his undergraduate 
education, Cli! plans on continuing his studies to the doctorate level.

McKenzie Cox is a sophomore Stamps Scholar at the University of Mississippi, 
majoring in public policy leadership and integrated marketing communications. 
She is a member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and the Trent 
Lott Leadership Institute. Cox has a strong interest in exploring how policy 
a!ects local communities and individuals through research. On campus, she 
is a student news anchor, Concert Singers performer, tour guide, study abroad 
ambassador, and member of Kappa Delta Sorority. Cox aspires to pursue a 
career in law and policy analysis.

Aisthesis      Volume 15,  202483

Author and Artist Biographies



Author and Artist Biographies

Aisthesis      Volume 15,  202484

Chantelle Flores (she/her) is a dual-degree honors student at the University of 
Maine, where she studies English and art history. She works as a Writing Center 
consultant and embedded tutor outside of class, and she has work published 
or forthcoming in We Gen Z ($e Telling Room), Barzakh, and !e Basilisk 
Tree. She recently presented on multimodal tutoring strategies at the 2024 
MCELA conference with her Writing Center peers. In her free time, she enjoys 
singing with the University of Maine Singers, engaging with the visual arts, and 
spending time with friends and family. 

Krista Hamel is a recent graduate from Boise State University Honors College, 
earning her BFA in illustration. As a student, she contributed multiple artworks 
to several exhibitions centered around environmentalist focused themes. $ese 
selected works bring awareness to our human impact on the environment 
and how our concern for issues ebb and %ow with its media coverage. Other 
themes her work explores are mental health, gun violence, and the elevation 
of minority voices. Krista plans to build greater awareness and change in our 
world through a career in children’s book illustration and/or children’s &lm 
concept development centered on these themes.

Andy Jones is a recent graduate of Texas Tech University with a B.A. in technical 
communication. While at Texas Tech, she participated in the honors book club 
and earned an undergraduate writing certi&cate. If you ever happen across her, 
you’re likely to hear ramblings about understanding the liminality of speculative 
&ction and explorations of queer identity through creative expression. Her plans 
for the future include attending graduate school to pursue a degree in creative 
writing, reading every Star Wars book that has ever been published, and writing 
as much poetry as she can.

Lily Karg graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with degrees 
in biochemistry, environmental science, and biology. While in Duluth, Lily 
was an active volunteer with the Recreational Sports and Outdoor Program on 
campus and the local Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores trail maintenance crew. 
Her deep passion for the outdoors also motivated her undergraduate research 
experience, which focused on using paleoecology and analytical chemistry 
to study harmful algal blooms and pollen deposition in Lake Superior. $is 
June, she will present both her honors thesis and her graduate student mentor's 
thesis work at the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography 
conference. Following one last summer in the Large Lakes Observatory lab 
and enjoying the North Shore, she will pursue a PhD in biological science at 
Michigan Technological University.



Author and Artist Biographies

Aisthesis      Volume 15,  202485

Benjamin Longren is a sophomore honors student at the University of Georgia, 
where he is a double major in economics and international business and 
minoring in Arabic and law. As well as being active in the honors program, he 
is part of the UGA Rugby Club, MathCounts tutoring, Economics Society, and 
the Leonard Leadership Scholars Program. In addition, Benjamin volunteers 
at MediationSavannah, where he is a registered mediator. A#er graduation, 
Benjamin plans to go to law school or pursue the Fulbright Scholarship (or 
anything else that is interesting).   

Kathryn O’Donnell graduated cum laude with biology departmental honors 
and University Honors designation from the University of Minnesota Duluth 
in 2024, with a BA in biology and a minor in history. She was a student leader 
in Chi Alpha Campus Ministries throughout her undergraduate career, and 
served in various o"cer positions within the UMD choral program. Kathryn 
also interned as a healthcare assistant at Lake Beauty Bible Camp and worked 
as a steward of historical information at Glensheen Mansion. She focuses her 
research and academic interests on past and present infectious disease threats, 
studying the impact disease has on the course of history and how those lessons 
can, and should, shape medical procedures and practices today. She is currently 
applying to medical school, while reading book a#er book about infectious 
disease in her free time.

Allison Peschek is in her senior year as an honors student at the University of 
Montana. In preparation to graduate in the Fall of 2024, she is studying to earn 
a double degree, one in wildlife biology, and the other in art. In pursuing her 
passions as an undergraduate, she has gained a"liation with the Emlen Lab, 
Matrix Press, Scribendi, and !e Oval. Originally from Renton, Washington, 
Allison’s inspiration is fueled by her perception of the world around her. 
$rough that appreciation and interest, she hopes to blend her &elds of study to 
encourage greater connection between everything in life. 

Elizabeth Taylor is a third-year honors student at the University of Georgia, 
double majoring in political science and international a!airs, with minors 
in law and sustainability. Along with being active in the honors program, 
Elizabeth has served as a student ambassador for the School of Public and 
International A!airs at the University of Georgia, presented research at the 
university's annual undergraduate colloquium, and competed in mock trial. 
Elizabeth is also involved in Gamma Phi Beta Sorority and the Order of Omega 
Society. A#er graduation, she plans to attend law school and pursue a career in 
environmental politics.



Author and Artist Biographies

Aisthesis      Volume 15,  202486

Kelly Wang is a freshman at Northeastern University, where she is a member of 
the John Martinson Honors Program. Majoring in mathematics and business 
administration with a minor in linguistics, Kelly intends on pursuing a career 
in &nance. On campus, she is involved in Alpha Kappa Psi, Student Value Fund, 
and undergraduate research (Boston's Chinatown). In her free time, Kelly 
enjoys watching documentaries and reading historical &ction.

Johanna Ziegler is a junior honors student earning her B.A. in English-creative 
writing at the University of South Dakota. Her creative work has been published 
in !e Albion Review, Northern Eclecta, Hey! Young Writer, and Oakwood. Her 
award-winning short &lms have been screened at the South Dakota Film Festival 
and the Valkyrie International Film Festival, with her latest short &lm releasing 
this year through MJ Canyon Productions. $is spring, she also debuted as 
a theatre director/playwright in collaboration with the USD Department of 
$eatre. She plans to earn advanced degrees in creative writing and continue 
publishing &ction and releasing &lms.


