Five Middlebury student readers showcased their original essays, short stories and poetry in the most recent event in the New England Review (NER) student reading series.
The readers at the April 18 event were Sarah Miller ’24, Vee Syengo ’25, Yuvraj Shah ’26, Emily Wight ’24 and Ashling Walsh ’24. In addition to the scheduled readers, there was an open-mic with 10 three-minute slots for volunteers to read, as well as refreshments and a raffle.
Wight read an essay titled “Smile” which was written about her grandmother and girlhood in Jamaica. Not only was this Wight’s first time reading for a NER event, but it was also her first time reading her writing in public.
“I was nervous, but Zoe and Cole, the NER interns, did such a great job at creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere,” Wight wrote in an email to The Campus.
Wight said that she enjoyed reading in an intimate and supportive space.
“It was a small space with no mic so you could feel that everyone was really in the moment and listening to each reader,” she wrote.
Wight’s favorite part was listening to the other student readers.
“There’s a kind of magic in the intimacy and vulnerability that comes with listening to a person read something they’ve written, often about personal topics and experiences,” she wrote.
Shah was also a first time reader, sharing his original short story, “The Photobook.”
“It's always a great opportunity to present my work outside of an academic setting. The NER student reader events are great ways to get feedback on my writing and present work to people who I would not normally present to,” Shah wrote in an email to The Campus.
Shah previously worked as a research assistant intern for the NER in the summer of 2023, where he worked to catalog the demographics of their writers. While he is familiar with the organization, reading his own work in a live setting was a new experience.
“I had to try to make clear what character was saying what sentence, something that is easier when reading a text as opposed to listening to it,” Shah wrote.
As Shah prepared for the reading, he also had to make decisions about how to present his work to a largely English-speaking audience since his story includes some words in Gujarati.
“I decided to keep the original Gujarati words in my work, as opposed to providing English translations for the audience, to allow the piece to speak for itself,” he wrote.
Walsh shared part of their poetry thesis, “Epithet-Bearer,” which explores queerness in the American South through a classics-inspired, fragmentary style and fractured narrative. Walsh first became acquainted with the NER this January as an editorial intern. After reading as a volunteer during a previous NER event, this was Walsh’s second time reading at a NER event but their first time as a formally invited reader.
“It was a great experience, and it's been exciting to connect more with NER through these readings,” they wrote in an email to The Campus.
Walsh commented on how welcoming a space the NER has been for sharing writing.
“It's extremely gratifying to share my own work in a public, communal space and feel that it's really making an emotional impact on others,” they wrote.
For Walsh, sharing art can be a vulnerable experience, but having the support and engagement of friends and audience members made the reading enjoyable.
“There were lots of hums, gasps, laughs and everything at all the necessary moments. Folks were definitely taking in all of the work from the readers and making an effort to connect with it. It was fun noticing people flinch when I read a certain line I was proud of or looking up and seeing smiles in the audience,” Walsh wrote.
While none of the pieces students shared were written specifically for the reading, writers took the time to organize their materials and practice leading up to the event. Walsh encouraged students to explore the opportunities that the NER creates for sharing their written work on campus.
“There is a wild amount of incredibly talented people who have important things to say on this campus. Each reading I’ve gone to has had a few of those pieces that really resonate with me, and I think it’s amazing that the NER is fostering more of those spaces for everyone. Take advantage of it!” Walsh wrote.
Editor’s Note: Emily Wight ’24 and Yuvraj Shah ’26 are Opinions Editors for The Campus. Cole Chaudhari ’26 is a News Editor for The Campus. Sarah Miller ’24 is an Editor at Large for The Campus.
We can’t help it that there is such overlap between the New England Review and The Campus.
Olivia Mueller '24 (she/her) is a News Editor.
Previously an Arts and Culture editor, Olivia is an International Politics and Economics major with a Spanish minor. Outside of the Campus, she is a spin instructor for YouPower, an avid runner and hiker, and a member of the Middlebury Mischords a cappella group.
