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MASTHEAD

Curtis Beall

Curtis is a man of extreme character. He is in his junior year of college and studying in the field of Psychology. If you interrogated him he would quickly discuss his love for videogames, any game will do, as he’s quite the adaptive individual. He is one of many editors for poetry and has recently discovered his creative spirit. He loves any poem that rhymes or creatively portrays imagery. His greatest joy is reading poems that challenge conventional writing standards.

Meredith Cornstubble

Meredith Cornstubble is a first year sophomore at Rockhurst University. She is majoring in English Literature and Writing and minoring in Philosophy. Having grown up in Kansas City (and living at home), Meredith often finds herself in the car-- the perfect place for worship music, Disney soundtracks, and a healthy amount of Taylor Swift. When Meredith isn't driving to school or to her loved ones, she can be found riding her horse, curled up reading a book, or writing on her laptop. Meredith finds that her creativity thrives on frequent genre switching, but she especially loves writing fiction, poetry, and the occasional personal or research essay. Meredith adores working as a fiction editor for The Squawk and looks forward to reading your submissions!

Brienne Garner

Brienne Garner is a sophomore nursing student at Rockhurst University. She plans to work in the ICU and eventually attend graduate school while simultaneously pursuing a career as an author. She is currently an editor for The Squawk in the fiction department and when she’s not buried in a textbook or working on a new short story, she can be found teaching her dog new tricks, rereading her favorite books, and glazing pottery.

Jose Raul Gomez-Aldava

Jose Raul Gomez-Aldava is an undergraduate student majoring in Economics with plans to pursue Engineering in the future. His academic interests center on political philosophy, history, and systems of power, particularly how societies organize themselves around identity, labor, and land. As a writer, he is especially drawn to alternative history and reflective non-fiction, often reimagining pivotal historical moments to explore how different choices could reshape cultural and political realities. His work blends personal reflection with broader social analysis. Outside of academics, he enjoys studying film, historical movements, and evolving ideas of identity and masculinity. As a Creative Non-Fiction editor, Jose is especially interested in work that is honest, reflective, and intellectually grounded—pieces that examine lived experience with clarity, structure, and purpose.

Dominic Grisafe-Pont

Dominic Grisafe-Pont is currently an undergraduate junior at Rockhurst University who is studying Psychology and Criminal Justice with the hopes of becoming a mental health therapist in the near future. A few of his interests are playing basketball with his friends, watching movies, and collecting vinyl. He is heavily involved on campus with things such as fraternity life, intramurals, and campus ministry. He enjoys reading and writing poetry, and is currently an editor for the fiction genre for The Squawk.

Isabella Hernandez

Isabella Hernandez is an undergraduate student in her senior year with multiple majors and minors, those being English on the Writing Track and Spanish, as well as her minors in General Business with a Management concentration and Marketing. She plans to attend graduate school with a focus on publishing and hopes to build a career in the publishing world. She is currently an editor for Creative Non-Fiction and manager of The Squawk’s Instagram page. She is currently the President of Sigma Delta Pi, part of the Honors Program, and a proud writing tutor. When she has time to enjoy her interests, you can find her reading novels about yearning, diving into research that often turns into 20-page essays, rewatching and analyzing favorite films and shows, playing The Sims, embroidering, collecting more stationery than she needs, taking photos, and mediating between her two cats, Estella and Gus.
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Morgan LeMonnier

Morgan LeMonnier is an undergraduate student in her sophomore year with a major in English on the writing track. She is currently deciding between going to school for a Masters in Publishing and Editing or going straight into the workforce and getting a Masters outside of work. Her primary goal at this time is to go into developmental editing at a publishing firm, and she is currently an editor for the Poetry department at The Squawk. Morgan has a wide variety of interests, including crocheting, watching TV, playing videogames, and reading. If you were to ask her for a book recommendation, she would suggest The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak. She is currently reading East of Eden by John Steinbeck.

Lacey McPhail

Lacey McPhail is currently a junior at Rockhurst University, where she is studying English with a Writing Concentration. Prior to this writing adventure, she spent a few years in the financial industry, coaching call center agents. She writes poetry, non-fiction, and fiction pieces centered on finding strength and humor in the trenches of life. When not reviewing fiction pieces for The Squawk, she can be found playing The Sims 4, posting unnecessary Instagram stories, and attending random Improv jam nights.

Isabelle Myers

Isabelle Myers is an undergraduate Psychology major on the pre-professional route for Occupational Therapy at Rockhurst University. Isabelle is an editor for the poetry genre of The Squawk, and she has taken up writing more poetry since joining. Besides school or work, she volunteers, observes multiple OTs, and somehow fits in time to drag her boyfriend to yet another trinket store. When she isn't doing any of those activities, you'll find her in her room with her Nintendo Switch, playing her favorite cozy game, Animal Crossing. Her favorite character in the game is (narcissistically) Isabelle. She cannot wait to see Rockhurst students come out of their shells and introduce their writing to the world with the help of The Squawk. 

Melissa Richmond

Melissa Richmond is an English major on the Writing and Literature track who enjoys writing both fiction and research-driven essays. She is drawn to work that explores identity, complexity, and the layered nature of human experience. As both a creative and analytical writer, she values precision, depth, and thoughtful revision. In her free time, she plays videogames, watches Colts football, and spends time with her husband and animals. She is an editor for Creative Non-Fiction at The Squawk.

Cas Rohmer-Des Jardins

Cas is a second-degree Psychology student with minors in English Studies and Women & Gender Studies at Rockhurst University. Their world revolves around creative expression in all forms. Their first Bachelor’s degree was in Art History where they studied the concept of medievalism and reception history.  With their second degree and minors they plan on researching more into the nature of human expression and decision making. Their now chronic back pain leaves them tired most days but when the energy strikes, they are working on their four-billion hobbies, including writing.  

Connor Smith

Connor Smith is a fourth-year English major studying Writing and Literature at Rockhurst University.  Connor is an Creative Non-Fiction editor for The Squawk, where he works alongside like-minded Rockhurst writers to refine and elevate personal narratives.  When he's not indulging in literature or writing, he spends his free time being in nature, gaming, watching films, following professional basketball, and hanging out with his two cats, Goose and Loki.  

Grayce Teague

Grayce is an undergraduate student in her senior year at Rockhurst University. She is studying English on the Writing track with the dream of one day becoming a famous writer. When she isn’t writing or studying, you can find her curled up in bed with a book and cup of iced coffee, or even a Redbull. Grayce enjoys writing all kinds of stories but has a preference for writing fiction. She is an editor for Creative Non-Fiction and cannot wait to read all of your amazing work.

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