Taylor Crowell ‘25
Major: English
Minor: Public Relations
Next Step: MFA Program in Poetry at Columbia University
Q.) How did you end up choosing LMU?
A.) I’m from Southern California, and I wanted to stay relatively close to home while attending a smaller university, and LMU seemed like such a good fit. The gorgeous campus, the small class sizes, and the location in Los Angeles were some of the main reasons I picked LMU. Also, my mom was a transfer student at LMU in the 90s, so LMU felt familiar from all her old stories and memories from her college days.
Q.) Why did you decide to major in English?
A.) I’ve always loved reading, and when it came down to choosing a major, I knew there was nothing else I was as excited about as literature. Also, it often feels like studying English is studying a little bit of everything too, as literature often is interdisciplinary and discusses philosophy, politics, religion, history, and even science. English gives such a well-rounded education, and it's the perfect field of study for people that are naturally curious or don’t want to limit their education to one hyper-specific thing.
Q.) What experiences influenced your decision to apply to the MFA program in Poetry at Columbia? What did it feel like to be accepted?
A.) I never grew up writing, at least not seriously, and I certainly wasn’t exposed to poetry in high school. I wrote a short story in my first English class during my Freshman year, and based on that, my professor, Dr. Youngkin introduced me to Professor Sarah Maclay, who was teaching the poetry classes at the time. I took my first poetry class in my sophomore year and fell in love. With the encouragement of Sarah Maclay, I decided to read and write poetry more seriously, and was encouraged to apply for an MFA. I really went into the process of applying to graduate school with no expectations, especially since I’m a relatively new writer with not a lot of years of experience. It felt amazing to get accepted, really into any program, but especially a university like Columbia that has produced so many amazing writers. I’m just excited and extremely grateful for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to dedicate my life to poetry.
Q.) How has your leadership of extracurricular literary journals, events, etc., enhanced your academic experience?
A.) My leadership experience being Editor-in-Chief for the Criterion: A Literary Journal, a staff editor on the La Miscellany: A Creative Journal, and Vice President of Programs for my sorority, Delta Zeta, taught me a lot about confidence, organization, and how to manage an organization with a lot of different people. When you lead an organization, you become in charge of something, and someone, other than yourself, and it teaches you a lot about responsibility and the bigger picture that I will definitely take with me into graduate school and my professional life.
Q.) Who is your favorite poet or author, and why?
A.) I’ll always say that my favorite poet is Ocean Vuong, because that was the first poet I encountered in class that I really loved. I learned so much from his writing, and frequently return to his poetry for inspiration. He has a way of manipulating language and creating such a delicate tone that makes everything feel like an intimate moment, even a secret, that enables such a unique connection to his work. Poetry has such a special ability to name the nameless, which I feel he does really well. However, right now, some poets that are inspiring me include Yusef Komunyakaa, Mark Strand, and Dianne Seuss.
Q.) Have you had any faculty mentors and/or meaningful and impactful classes, internships, global, or research experiences?
A.) I have had so many amazing connections with the faculty at LMU, and I am truly grateful for all the support I have been given. Professor Sarah Maclay, who worked at LMU up until last year, served as my poetry mentor, and if it hadn’t been for her encouragement, I would have never taken a poetry class. She taught me everything I know about poetry. One of the best pieces of advice she gave me about poetry was that, in a poem, “every bit of lace needs a bit of rust,” which speaks to the way a poem should be multi-dimensional and emotionally layered. Dr. Molly Youngkin has also served as an incredible resource for me, as she was the first teacher to comment positively on my writing, helped me with the graduate school process, and oversaw my capstone. She always made herself incredibly available in terms of her support. Additionally, Dr. Stephen Shepherd, with whom I had an independent study on medieval alliterative poetry, taught me so much about researching literature, and how to critically read and understand older works of poetry, which opened up a whole new world for me that previously felt inaccessible. He was also an incredible source of encouragement on my decision to go to graduate school, and helped with the application process.
Q.) What do you appreciate most about your liberal arts/Jesuit/LMU education?
A.) I really appreciate the Jesuit mission about educating the whole person. When you learn, of course you learn intellectually, but also emotionally. It makes a more well-rounded, thoughtful person, capable of questioning the world around and wanting to make change. I love that, in the core curriculum, we are forced to learn areas outside our major, something that widens our worldview.
Q.) Do you have any parting advice for other students in BCLA?
A.) Your professors are a resource! So many of my accomplishments and my experiences at LMU that have led me to graduate school are from building relationships with my professors. They are there to help you! Ask for advice and go to office hours; you never know what kind of connections you might make. Also, if you have room for it in your schedule, take electives outside of your major on other subjects that interest you or challenge you; take advantage of the liberal arts education.
Q.) What are your future career plans and/or goals?
A.) Of course, one day I hope to be a published poet and write a book (or many)! With my MFA, however, I also plan to teach creative writing at the college level and also hopefully work with nonprofits in the arts advocacy sphere. I believe strongly that poetry should be more accessible than it is, and hope I can use my opportunity in higher education to increase access to art for the public.
Q.) Where are you originally from?
A.) Camarillo, CA