I’m Emma Veon, Young Writers and Artists Curator/Community Organizer and Associate Podcaster from George Washington University. I’m from Philadelphia and majoring in English and Art History. I’m collaborating with professionals and students in a variety of disciplines, working to inspire younger generations through exposure to new and interesting fields. I’m excited to learn new things about my home city of Washington, DC, and the incredible creators that live there through The Creative Process.

Tell us about a teacher which made a difference in your life and helped you become the student you are today.

Every October, Dr. Balcer taught her ninth grade English Literature class how to use the semicolon. We learned how to diagram a sentence and where to parse phrasing, but the semicolon was arguably the most impactful grammar lesson we received from Dr. Balcer. She urged us to add personality to our work through experimentation, pushing us to explore the various uses of the comma or the effect of using dashes in dialogue. We were liberated from the strict grammar rules of grade school and thereby free to develop unique authorial voices. The passionate professor taught her students that we could do anything with our writing and equipped us with the tools to do so. Armed with new knowledge, we injected fresh vocabulary, imagery, metaphor, and diction into our essays and reflections. One mark of punctuation empowered us to explore academic and creative writing with a strong sense of self. Dr. Balcer helped us find our own voices. Mine, of course, involves liberal application of the semicolon; I think she felt some pride in that.

Over the next four years, I took three more classes with Dr. Balcer. She expanded my horizons even further, introducing themes, techniques, and genres that will inform my writing long after I graduate from college. When I considered an English major, she was the most adamant - and most convincing - supporter. Though she has since retired from her decades-long position, the lessons of beloved Dr. B will never leave the minds of countless students that she impacted so deeply.

What are some of your recent projects and plans for the future?

I will apply to GWU’s Master’s Degree Program of Art History in March. I am eager to continue my education and remain in Washington, DC, where I can continue working with the university and other organizations with which I have strong relationships. With the assistance of my professors, I will publish an essay in a literary journal. I hope to work more with my critical analysis of the Afro-Mestizo in Mexican art history or to start a new project in a different area of study. I will continue to learn German after I leave my study abroad program in Vienna. I hope to return to the city after I complete my undergraduate and graduate degrees.