Ivy Ridenhour is the Outstanding Student for English

Ivy Ridenhour, a senior English major with minors in Theatre and Honors, is the recipient of the Overall Excellence Award for English. In reflection of her time at JMU, Ivy highlights the ways in which her skills as a writer and person have been shaped, and encourages other English students to embrace the learning process. When asked about any advice for younger students, Ivy says “I would say you don’t have to come in already being a “good writer.” That’s what the program is for, you’re here to learn.”

Ivy discussed her hesitation to pursue English at first, she had added English as a major at the beginning of her junior year. Ivy emphasizes that as an undergraduate, the goal is to learn, and students don’t have to come in knowing everything. 

Ivy also talks about how supportive the professors are, and how they genuinely care about student success; “Also, the professors are incredibly supportive. They’re passionate about what they teach and genuinely invested in student growth. When I first declared English, I was nervous, but talking with professors and seeing them engage with my ideas made me feel like I belonged.”

Throughout her time in the English department, Ivy says that she has developed confidence in her communication and interpersonal skills. “It made me feel like I am confident in saying that I’m a good communicator… that I can work on a deadline, that I can argue a point pretty well.” Her classes and coursework have reinforced clear communication and the capacity to analyze through a deeper lens.

Ivy highlights some of her most impactful courses. ENG 302: Feminist and Queer Zines with Dr. Mary Thompson. “We got to do analytical writing… but also have a creative output for it,” she says. “It was a really cool class.” 

She also highlights her creative writing courses with Professor Samar Fitzgerald, noting the “really supportive class environment for workshopping stories,” and her Early Modern Literature course with Dr. Breanne Weber, where Ivy was able to facilitate discussion and learn about the history of book making. She also took a playwriting course where she wrote a 40-minute play focused on generational relationships between women, emphasizing that it was a very rewarding achievement. 

Some of Ivy’s favorite works of literature she has worked with throughout her time in the English department include Small Things Like These and One Thousand and One Nights. Ivy says that One Thousand and One Nights ignited her fascination with frame narratives: “That’s sort of a concept I’ve been fascinated with ever since.” Ivy’s fascination with the frame narrative form reflects her intellectual engagement that JMU English has helped shape. 

As the social media and marketing intern for Massanutten Regional Library, Ivy was able to develop her professional skills as well as strengthen her interest in library work. She notes, “that experience really solidified my interest in library work. I learned how to communicate professionally not just through essays, but through emails and public-facing content and how to create accessible copy and graphics.” 

Ivy is exploring a range of post grad paths as graduation approaches, she’s applying to a variety of different jobs, “I’m applying to jobs for library assistants in schools and public libraries… and also to some technical theater jobs.” She’s also considering arts administration and potentially pursuing a Master’s in Library Science in the future, this path being influenced by her time working as the intern for Massanutten Regional Library.

Reflecting on her time in the English Department, Ivy emphasizes the range of courses and depth of material the department has to offer. “There’s such a wide range of courses you can take,” she says, “but also the value of diving deeply into specific time periods.” Most importantly, she highlights the professors: “They were excited to talk about things with me and excited about ideas that I had, that made me feel like I was in the right place.”

Ivy says that through her coursework and other experiences related to the English Department, she has grown a deeper understanding of the world around her. “As a person, I’ve developed a more layered way of thinking. The theories we study don’t just apply to literature, they apply to life. I feel like I have a deeper understanding of the world because of that.”