Kiersten Holland loves her poodle named Percy Jackson, the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew from Starbucks, and books — lots of books. Her current favorite is Book Lovers by Emily Henry, though she’s quick to note, “My favorite book changes all the time.” She loves to write, too, and one of her short stories, “A God without Wings,” was published in the 2022 issue of Notations, Murray State’s undergraduate literary journal, an accomplishment she’s very proud of.
Originally from Camden, Tennessee, Kiersten is a junior English Education major and a student in the Honors program. What first attracted her to Murray State was the atmosphere. “I really liked the people that I met on my campus visits and the Honors & English departments were kind enough to let me shadow a class. I knew where I wanted to go pretty early on because of that.”
When it came time to choose her major, Kiersten gives credit to several amazing high school and college teachers who encouraged her to contemplate teaching others how to love reading, too. “I want to be that type of positive influence for others,” she said. At Murray State, “Some of my favorite classes have been those that help me to improve the most and facilitate successful discussions about writing and books.” After graduation, she wants to teach high school and eventually further her education in graduate school so that perhaps she could teach at a university someday.
She also hopes to keep up her writing habit. “Under professors like Dr. T.J. Martinson and Dr. Carrie Jerrell, I have also become so much more confident in my fiction writing and hope to one day publish more of my pieces.”
Kiersten encourages new students to make the most of their college experience, especially when it comes to events. “(College) is a completely different atmosphere than high school, and going to the events, whether in your major or not, can open doors for you and allow you to meet your professors and like-minded students.” Her favorite events are the readings that the Department of English and Philosophy hosts during the semester. “It’s a great way to meet new authors and hear about their backgrounds and stories.”
This year, Kiersten is working as a student assistant in the CHFA dean’s office, and her primary role will be to help with the newsletter, blog, and other communications-related tasks. In other words, she’ll be putting her writing skills to good use. The dean’s office is excited to have her on the the team. If you see her around campus, say hi!
College of humanities and fine arts 