The Department of Literature is hosting Aleyna Rentz, writer and photographer, in “A Conversation About Going Far With an English Major” on Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. over Zoom. 

Rentz is a notable alumna of Georgia Southern, and she was a double major in English and writing & linguistics. Rentz graduated from GS in 2017 and then earned her MFA in creative writing at Johns Hopkins University. 

“Her fiction, poetry, and essays have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and the Best of the Net Anthology, and one of her stories will appear in the Best Microfiction 2020 anthology. She also won first place in Pleiades‘ 2019 R.M. Kinder Realistic Fiction contest, and third place in Glimmer Train‘s Jan/Feb 2018 Short Story Award for New Writers. She currently serves as senior fiction reader for Salamander Magazine and is a reader for the Wigleaf Top 50,” according to Rentz’s website. 

Rentz will be sharing her story and talking about her writing as well as life after graduation. 

Olivia Carr Edenfield, professor of literature, said Rentz has had “a versatile resume since she graduated that will spark interest from a lot of majors who are still uncertain about what they want to do with their degree. They recognize that the English major is versatile, and here’s someone who has put that to the test and been very successful.”

Edenfield thinks people will be able to identify with Rentz and look up to her as a role model. 

“In spite of all of her success, she remains relatable and approachable,” said Edenfield. 

There will also be a panel of current students who are feature scholars of literature at GS. They will be asking Rentz about her craft. The panelists are Aubrey Brumblow, Eric Greenhaw, Niyonna Johnson, Brooke Neal, My’Kayle Pugh, Sawai Ramirez and Mary Sincavage. 

To pre-register for the event, click here.

Rentz’s essays, poems and short stories can be found here.