Name: Jeffrey Kelly
Position: Editorial Editor
Hi, my name is Jeffrey Kelly, and I’m a senior English major at the University of Alabama, an unapologetic Ariana Grande Stan, and an occasional plant enthusiast. When I’m not writing news articles, crafting poems for my growing first manuscript, or fiddling with speakers at the Ferguson Student Center— as any computer technician would, I can be found cowering somewhere trying to figure out the meaning of life, which seems to be a rite of passage for college students or honestly, any 20 something ingenue.
I like to think I handle this journey with grace and quirky abandon, though like any heroine in a sitcom would (think Jessica Day, Mindy Lahir, Betty Suarez, all the greats!)
And though this journey is a long one and different for everyone, I believe I’ve found my meaning in writing. I’ve always been fascinated by how impactful words could be and how central they are to everything. Regardless of the form or fashion, writing has just felt magnetic, and I’ve spent my college career exploring life within its magnetic field.
Currently, I work as the assistant culture editor for the Crimson White, UA’s college newspaper, and as a contributing writer for two of UA’s premier magazines, Alice and 1956. In these positions, I like to try my best to tell stories about underrepresented people/groups because I’ve realized that it is my job to give others a voice as a journalist.
When I’m not doing interviews and working on articles, I get to enjoy the company of Tuscaloosa’s growing poetry community as the president of the Alabama Student Association for Poetry (ASAP). ASAP is an organization that focuses on giving students a space to celebrate and share their poetry. It’s been amazing to see just how much poetry can affect people.
Because of all of these experiences, I would like to pursue a career in the publishing or journalism field once I graduate from college. In both of these fields, I would be able to flourish and express myself while helping others do the same. Yet, at the end of the day, my main goal in life is just to be happy!
