Meet Your Student Leaders

Eastern Region

Brooke Foster – Student Representative (SR)
Rider University
Lawrenceville, NJ
Email: [email protected]

Brooke Foster (she/her) is a senior at Rider University pursuing a BA in English with a concentration in Writing, while also minoring in Social Media Strategies and earning a certificate in Publishing and Professional Writing. She was excited to join Rider’s Nu Phi Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta shortly after transferring to the university during her sophomore year, and she is currently serving as Chapter President for the 2025–2026 academic year. In addition to her work as a composition tutor on-campus, Brooke is involved in several student organizations, including the Gail Bierenbaum Leadership Council and Venture Literary Magazine (in which two of her works have been published). In her free time, Brooke enjoys completing her semi-annual to-be-read (TBR) list reading binge, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, finding new media to analyze and enjoy on Netflix, and playing board games with her friends. An avid fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories and BBC adaptation, she hopes to someday travel to the United Kingdom.

Brooke is grateful to have the opportunity to represent the Eastern region as Student Representative this academic year. Having attended her first convention in Pittsburgh, she hopes to encourage fellow Sigma Tau Delta members to interact with this fantastic community of researchers and storytellers!

Faith Montagnino – Associate Student Representative (ASR)
University of Scranton
Scranton, PA
Email: [email protected]

Faith Montagnino (she/her) is a senior at The University of Scranton majoring in English and minoring in Writing and Philosophy. Her written creative works of various genres have been published by The Albion Review, 30 North, Esprit, and The Oakland Arts Review; Faith’s photography has also been published by XQ America, Harness Magazine, Monmouth Arts, Unfiltered Magazine, Creatives of New Jersey, Polemical Zine, Unpublished Magazine, Gen Rise Media, BINGE Magazine, and Collective Art Magazine. She has presented academic research at the Sigma Tau Delta conventions as well as the Association for Theatre in Higher Education’s Annual Conference. At Scranton, she is a Writing Consultant for the Office of Student Support & Success, Student Partner in the Partners in Learning, Leadership and Reflection (PILLAR) Program, Research Assistant for the Department of English and Theatre, General Editor/Assistant Production Manager for on-campus literary magazine Esprit, and Campus Correspondent for HerCampus Scranton; she also serves as the President of the Mu Omicron Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta. Faith is currently completing a Communications (Social Media/Marketing) internship at the Middletown Arts Center and working as a Bookseller at independent bookstore Thunder Road Books. She loves writing, reading, and listening to music, along with theater, strawberry açai lemonade, and When Harry Met Sally. Faith is thrilled to serve as the 2025–2026 Associate Student Representative for the Eastern Region!

Far Western Region

Kaylee Jo Stocks – Student Representative (SR)
Utah State University, Logan
Logan, UT
Email: [email protected]

Kaylee Jo Stocks is a Utah State University senior majoring in English Creative Writing and Economics. She loves reading, writing, and being out in the sun. Kaylee Jo is the active President of the Rho Tau Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta and the co-creator of the Far Western Region’s literary journal Intraminutia. She can’t wait to work with students again this year as the Far Western Region Student Representative!

Gaylen Bailey – Associate Student Representative (ASR)
Utah Tech University
St. George, UT
Email: [email protected]

Gaylen Bailey (he/him) is a senior at Utah Tech University, majoring in English with a Literary Studies emphasis and minoring in Professional & Technical Writing. He loves reading, writing, and talking about topics surrounding gender, sexuality, and feminist theory. After graduation, he plans to pursue a masters degree in Library Science. Gaylen currently serves as the President of his local Sigma Tau Delta chapter, Alpha Pi Epsilon. As a first-generation student, he is always seeking new ways to further involve himself in university and deepen his connections with his peers. When he’s not studying, you can find him at his local climbing gym or playing video games with friends.

High Plains Region

Audrey Ball – Student Representative (SR)
Fort Hays State University
Hays, KS
Email: [email protected]

Audrey Ball (she/her) is a senior at Fort Hays State University pursing an undergraduate degree in English Writing. She is also minoring in Communications and completing a Grant Writing certificate. Audrey is a member of the local community choir, the Smoky Hill Chorale, and the FHSU Honors College. She currently works at the university’s Scholarship Services office, but in her free time, she enjoys cooking, crocheting, watching reality TV shows, consuming hairless cat content, and spending time with friends. Audrey is delighted to serve as the High Plains Region Student Representative this year!

Autumn Mills – Associate Student Representative (ASR)
Chadron State College
Chadron, NE
Email: [email protected]

Autumn Mills (she/her) is from Newcastle, WY. She graduated in December 2024 from Chadron State College with a Comprehensive Major in Advanced English Studies with an option in Creative Writing degree but is continuing to further her education to receive a Post-Baccalaureate in English Language Arts 7-12. She received an Associates of Interdisciplinary Science in 2022 while in high school. She served as the Secretary of her local Sigma Tau Delta chapter and was a member of Chadron State College’s Tenth Street Miscellany Journal’s editorial staff, with works published the previous year. She is a first-generation student and enjoys writing, reading, listening to music, and anything crafty. She looks forward to meeting new people and serving as the 2025-2026 High Plains Region Associate Student Representative.

Midwestern Region

Akbar Hosain – Student Representative (SR)
Illinois State University
Normal, IL
Email: [email protected]

Akbar Hosain (he/him), originally from Bangladesh, is a PhD student in English Literary and Cultural Studies at Illinois State University. His academic interests include postcolonial literature, world literature, creative writing, twentieth-century poetry, and literary translation between Bengali and English.

His current research explores themes of forced migration and dispossession in postcolonial contexts—a focus inspired by his firsthand experiences during two visits to the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, where over one million displaced individuals currently reside.

Beyond his academic pursuits, Akbar is passionate about poetry and committed to fostering literary engagement within his community. He currently serves as the Graduate President of the Illinois State University chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, where he works to promote literary scholarship and creative expression among fellow students.

Joshua Carpenter – Associate Student Representative (ASR)
Ashland University
Ashland, OH
Email: [email protected]

Josh Carpenter (he/him) is a senior at Ashland University (AU). He is pursuing a major in English, Creative Writing, and Religion. He is serving in his second year as President of Ashland’s Alpha Beta Phi Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta. He is a first-generation college student who is involved deeply in the AU English and Religion departments. Outside of college, Josh is a performer at the Mansfield Playhouse and the Mansfield Shakespeare Company. Josh looks forward to serving as the Midwestern Region Associate Student Representative for the 2025–2026 year!

Southern Region

Arista Elderkin – Student Representative (SR)
University of North Georgia
Oakwood, GA
Email: [email protected]

Arista Elderkin (she/her) is a graduate student studying Library and Information Science at the University of Alabama. Arista was the previous Associate Student Representative for the Southern Region during the 2024–2025 academic year. As an Alumnus of Berry College and the Epsilon Kappa Chapter, Arista served as the club President for three years while also studying English and Secondary Education. She loves to travel, read, meet new people, and hang out at any library she can find. Arista is very excited to step into the role of Student Representative!

Carmen Lok – Associate Student Representative (ASR)
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL
Email: [email protected]

Carmen Lok (she/her) is a graduate student at the University of South Florida where she is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing. Drawing from her experience as an international student from Malaysia, she is passionate about inclusivity, diversity, and representation in and out of academia. The primary themes of her fiction-focused writing involve exploring the intersections of culture and identity and their influence on a person’s life. In doing so, she hopes to give voice to minority groups and their experiences and create safe spaces for personal reflection and exploration. She also seeks to share that passion with others through her position and work in Sigma Tau Delta. Fun facts outside of academia, Carmen is a major cat lover and has four furry ones back home in Malaysia! Two are orange, one is blackish-grey, and one Siamese. She adores them deeply along with any other cat she comes across!

Southwestern Region

Alexis (Lexi) Goodwin – Student Representative (SR)
Southern Arkansas University
Magnolia, AR
Email: [email protected]

Lexi Goodwin (she/her) is a graduate student at Southern Arkansas University. She has a BA in Writing and is pursuing her Master of Arts in Teaching. She is the current Vice President of the Epsilon Theta Chapter as well as the Graduate Assistant for her university’s writing center. When she’s not on campus, you can find Lexi reading, running, listening to musicals, or playing board games with family and friends. Her favorite part of being a leader for her chapter is cultivating a community where all members feel welcome and heard. Lexi hopes to serve you well during her term and is excited to be a Student Representative!

Savannah Zeiler – Associate Student Representative (ASR)
Southern Arkansas University
Magnolia, AR
Email: [email protected]

Savannah Zeiler (she/her) is a junior at Southern Arkansas University, where she is pursuing a BA in English. On campus, she works as a writing consultant at her university’s writing center and is the current President of the Epsilon Theta Chapter. When she is not on campus, you can find her hanging out with her friends, singing duets in the car, playing video games, or reading. After graduation, she plans on pursuing an MA in English in hopes of working in publishing. As a leader, she seeks to foster a close community where all voices are heard and where passion can thrive. She is excited and honored to be serving as the Associate Student Representative for the Southwestern Region this year!