Farewell, Annalynn! Hello, Nylah!
By Nylah Winchester, junior English major and Annalynn Mueller, senior English major
June 10, 2025
Pictured above: Nylah Winchester and Annalynn Mueller hanging out in Dr. Perrow’s office
Annalynn Mueller became the SOU English program blogger during her junior year in 2023. Upon seeing the opportunity, Annalynn was “immediately interested,” and with some encouragement from the English faculty, she “ was in.” This June 2025, Annalynn graduates with her English degree and certificates in Foundations of Teaching Language Arts, Writing and Rhetoric, Literary Studies, and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Unfortunately, we must tell Annalynn goodbye and give her our best as she prepares for graduate studies.
Some of you are probably wondering who will write the blog, but do not fret, we will discuss more about me later! For now, I want to focus on Annalynn—my amazing friend who has built connections, sharpened her writing skills, and found community during her time as a blogger.
Annalynn decided on SOU before knowing what she wanted to major in: “I remember looking at the list of options and thinking, ‘hmm I like to write and read, maybe I’ll choose English as my major for now.’ I was sure I would switch.” She fell in love with the English program and credits this pivotal moment to “a ridiculous amount of luck.”
The first literature classes Annalynn took (ENG 209: Disability in Literature and ENG 208: Bible as Literature) were foundational and engaging. The professors invested in her, and she loved doing the work: “That was good enough for the time. I still did not know what I wanted to do, but I kept on taking classes and learning.”
However, in the spring of her second year, while taking ENG 488: Introduction to Teaching Literature, something clicked: “When I was in that class, I loved every second of it. I felt like I had found my niche and a way to combine multiple passions (teaching, literature, writing, mentorship) in a way that was unique to me and my skills.”
Annalynn comes from “a long line” of teachers, but she was not interested in teaching before taking that class. She emphasizes that ENG 488 was foundational, but picking a favorite course is hard—she walks out of each class “blown away” by how much she has learned, grown, and accomplished.
Once Annalynn graduates, she will miss everything about the English program: “I adore this program: our faculty, our students, our classes. I am so grateful for a department that supports and invests in me as a learner and human. I will miss the English program and the relationships/connections I have built from it.”
“I feel like I have the English program as my foundation, supporting me and building me up wherever I go next.”
– Annalynn Mueller
Similar to how Annalynn stumbled into the English program, she also stumbled into blogging. She took classes with Jewel Blanchard, the previous English program blogger, whom she “really looked up to and admired…” While conversing with Jewel about blogging, Annalynn felt like blogging was something she needed to do: “I did not know anything about blogging and had never done it before, but I knew I wanted to build my skills, confidence, and work ethic to what Jewel had. I was also searching for a way to be more directly involved and stand out in the campus community.”
Annalynn was unsure of her path and skillset, so she approached Dr. Margaret Perrow about the blogging opportunity. Dr. Perrow was “immediately excited,” and Dr. Alma Rosa Alvarez joined in by “jumping up and down with excitement.” Their support reaffirmed that Annalynn could accomplish blogging, but she was timid and did not know how to engage with the genre. She became uncertain of her writing; the only way to get over this was “to just do it.”
The responses Annalynn received from her first few blog stories were positive: “Once I realized how fun blogging was and that other people were excited about it, I started to feel much more comfortable.” Community members, SOU faculty, and the English faculty were enthusiastic about her writing; she was grateful for their cheerful welcome.
Pictured Above: Analynn Mueller showing off her graduation accomplishments!
Blogging requires Annalynn to work with people like Dr. Perrow, SOU’s IT team, and those she interviews for stories; she “[loves] this interpersonal aspect of blogging.” Through interviews, she connects with SOU alums, teachers, librarians, and faculty members: “I have written a lot of stories about teachers, which probably has something to do with the fact that I want to become a teacher.”
Annalynn is especially proud of the story “Literacy and Leadership in the Outdoors: Reflections from Time Spent with Adventure Risk Challenge.” This post partially explores the work and research of Dr. Merrilyne Lundahl, an English program professor and Annalynn’s mentor, who is currently doing work for the nonprofit Adventure Risk Challenge (ARC). While reflecting on that story, Annalynn concluded, “having the opportunity to interview and write about my professor, whom I look up to so much, was an honor and I am grateful for the opportunity to do so.”
“The structure or order of posts is different for every story—I could be writing about one person, or four. I’ve done stories about events, internships, conferences, and other things that are different from alumni interviews; each story kind of follows a different process.”
– Annalynn Mueller
After receiving answers from the folks she interviews, Annalynn will read their responses and look for the starting point that seems the most engaging. This could be their time at SOU, how they use their English degree, or their current job. Once Annalynn finds the starting point, she makes a loose outline and jumps right in: “A lot of it is organic. I just write how I feel like writing and then revise it.” She then constructs a narrative arc to tell the story and strives to “write stories that are interesting and engaging to [herself] and hopes that they are the same to [her] readers.
Annalynn advises future bloggers not to be afraid. Blogging is not an individual journey; there are always opportunities to collaborate with people who will support your content. She emphasizes that future bloggers should “find comfort in that” and “embrace the community the blog brings—never be afraid to ask for help, clarification, or support!”
Pictured Above: Nylah Winchester presenting a project from ENG 447D at the SOU Creativity Conference this spring
I (Annalynn) know that Nylah will succeed in this role and could not be more excited to introduce her. Nylah is a recent addition to the English program at SOU, having just moved to Oregon from California where she got her Associates degree in Child Development. When she is not at school or work, Nylah enjoys thrifting, reading, cooking, and writing. She is an incredibly skilled writer and likes to focus on creative nonfiction, poetry, and short stories.
“I decided to complete my degree at SOU. I knew that I wanted to teach and learn more about how to read critically, but most importantly, I wanted to write better; I found the challenge I was looking for.”
– Nylah Winchester
After completing her English degree, Nylah plans to attend graduate school, concentrating on creative writing and literary theory, analysis, and criticism. She would love to become an English professor and continue writing!
She will be fantastic in this role and is most excited about working with Dr. Perrow and the English faculty, developing writing skills, and participating in community: “Blogging is new to me, and I love trying new things.”
Writing for the English program blog has been such a special part of my college career. I am so grateful for this experience and I can not wait to see how Nylah makes it her own!
You can stay up-to-date with all of the exciting things happening in our department by following the English Program on Instagram (souenglish) and Facebook and by subscribing to this blog!
Interested in being featured on the English Program blog? Or know someone who is interested? Contact English Program blogger Nylah Winchester-Robinson at winchesterrobinsonn@sou.edu .
Learn more about SOU’s English Programs:
English Home Page | English BA/BS | English Minor | TESOL Certificate Program
