This internship has helped me with my future career prospects and feeling confident in going forth in the literary and magazine editing field. This has acted as a stepping stone for me to see what the environment is like and has given me the confidence to know that I can do this.
As Kaitlynn Davis, ’24, G’27, prepares for a career in publishing, she is already doing the work as an intern, helping launch a new magazine dedicated to amplifying voices often left out of the literary conversation.
Kaitlynn is one of five 91Ƶ English graduate students interning for , a digital publication that showcases the work of disabled, chronically ill, and neurodivergent writers and artists.
“This internship has helped me with my future career prospects and feeling confident in going forth in the literary and magazine editing field,” they said. “This has acted as a stepping stone for me to see what the environment is like and has given me the confidence to know that I can do this.”
While Nerve to Write is not a 91Ƶ publication, its staff has numerous connections to the university. In addition to the five interns, English professor Sarah Fawn Montgomery serves as editor-in-chief, while English alumna Mialise Carney, ’19, is assistant editor.
“I was really excited to be able to work with Nerve to Write and maintain that connection with Bridgewater State,” said Carney, who credits 91Ƶ with laying the foundation that propelled her into the creative writing and literature PhD program at the University of Cincinnati. “Bridgewater State was a really meaningful part of my trajectory. I’m excited to give back.”
With experience in publishing and disability studies, Dr. Montgomery aims to create a magazine that serves writers whose voices are often omitted or limited to discussing their disabilities. The inaugural issue received hundreds of submissions of poetry, nonfiction, fiction, art and hybrid works.
“This seemed to be a gap in the publishing landscape,” said Montgomery, noting the magazine is quickly building a new literary community. “We wanted to fill in that gap.”
Interns are involved in numerous facets of the production process, including reviewing submissions, interviewing featured authors and collaborating with other publishers.
The staff hopes readers learn to appreciate disabilities as something to be celebrated rather than as a hindrance. Working on the magazine has already left a lasting impression on them.
“It gives me a nuanced perspective and a new way to look at it that I might have not known if I didn’t do this internship,” said Cassidy Rousseau, G’27, a high school English teacher. “It really helped me slow down and reflect on my own teaching practices and what I can do to help my students.”
Intern Emily Lapomardo has also taken the message to heart. Emily, who works with special education high school students, uses her newfound perspective in her interactions.
“It’s changed how I engage in conversations,” she said, adding she now tells students, “You are not limited by this. This is something to be celebrated.”
Do you have a 91Ƶ story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.