Abigail Ham

My career path has not been a straight line. I worked at a think tank as a policy fellow and later in financial aid. When the college where I was working closed, I changed course and returned to work that connected more directly with writing and reporting. I now work as an Assistant News Editor at a regional newspaper. 

Alongside journalism, I have continued to pursue creative writing. My work has appeared in The Greensboro Review, Northwest Review, and other publications. In 2024, I was a finalist for the Ploughshares Emerging Writers' Contest and was also nominated for a Pushcart Prize in poetry. 

Looking back, one of the most important lessons I learned was to stay open to possibilities and focus on finding a workplace and community with values you can stand behind. A special shoutout goes to professors Holberg, Zwart, Klatt, Rienstra, Engbers, and Schmidt!