Xelle Starr ‘23

Hometown: Jonesboro, OH

Creative Writing Major

“I want to write my own series of novels,” says Xelle. “I want to write stories and characters I didn’t get to see a lot of growing up.” By majoring in creative writing at Hiram College, Xelle is both studying the art of writing while also creating their own pieces of fiction: “I love being able to work on a project intensively for 12 weeks.” Courses like Advanced Workshop in Fiction taught Xelle the tricks of the trade that authors use to write rich, engrossing stories. “Now I can look at so many of my favorite stories and dissect exactly how they were told. It’s a lot of fun!”

Xelle hadn’t initially planned on enrolling at Hiram, but after hearing from a friend about the small class sizes and the relationships that students form with their professors, they started to see the opportunities that Hiram provided. “Since I was homeschooled and taught myself, I never had any teacher,” says Xelle. “Getting to know my professors at Hiram is one of the many reasons I’m glad I attend.”

They also felt compelled to look at Hiram after learning about the College’s Peace Corps Preparatory Program. “My grandma would tell me stories about her time in the Peace Corps back in 1962,” says Xelle. “She always encouraged me to give back where I could and to learn as much as I can.” Upon graduation, they will be a strong candidate and prepared for the transition from college life to the Peace Corps.