Amelina Akoto
My name is Amelina (she/her), and I am a senior here at UCCS. I will be graduating with my English degree within Writing and Rhetoric in a couple weeks!!!!!!! Major hobbies consist of writing and reading… (shocker). I also love to run and go on hikes with my doggie. (: This semester for riverrun, I served on the poetry selection committee, while also being part of the website committee!
Kyle Beckford
I’m Kyle Beckford, a senior at UCCS, and I’m part of the website and poetry selection committees for riverrun. I’m an English major with a focus in Writing and Rhetoric, and in my free time I love to play Ultimate Frisbee.
Apollo Bernal
My name is Apollo Bernal (they/them). I am an Education major with a focus in English.
Tanner Bertram
My name is Tanner Bertram (he/him), and currently I am a sophomore at UCCS. I am a part of the website committee. I am majoring in English Rhetoric with the hopes of getting into law school after my undergraduate. I love playing the guitar and being outside, and hope to always be committed to learning new things!
Thunder Burnham
My name is Thunder Burnham, and I’m a senior majoring in English at UCCS with a focus on Rhetoric. I love basketball, gaming, and writing. I hope to teach English abroad in the future. I worked on the marketing committee and the fiction selection committee for riverrun.
Jessica Caldwell
Jessica Caldwell is a senior as an English for Writing and Rhetoric major, serving on the nonfiction and marketing committees. Outside of academia, Jessie enjoys making costumes and cosplays to wear when performing locally in drag shows.
Rachel Davidson
My name is Rachel Davidson (they/she), and I am a senior at UCCS. I am majoring in Communication, with a focus on Media Studies and a minor in Philosophy. I love making music and going to concerts, but my passion is for reading and writing fiction—I am a fantasy nerd through and through. I hope to publish my book within the next few years! I worked on the website committee and the fiction selection committee for riverrun.
Reagan Hall
My name is Reagan Hall, my pronouns are he/him, and I am currently a senior at UCCS. My major is in English Literature, and I have a love of reading and writing that greatly inspired me to be a part of the riverrun staff this semester. I am on the selection committee for poetry, as well as the design committee for the journal itself.
Noelani Healy
My name is Noelani Healy (she/her), and I am a senior at UCCS. I served on the radio committee and the fiction committee for riverrun.
Matilda Hickman-Smith
My name is Matilda Hickman-Smith (she/her), and I am a senior at UCCS.
Kyle Howard
My name is Kyle Howard (he/him), and I am a senior at UCCS. I worked on the nonfiction committee and the budget committee for riverrun.
Montana Huston
My name is Montana Huston (she/her), and I’m a junior at UCCS. I’m majoring in English with an emphasis in Secondary Education, with a minor in Creative Writing. Traveling is one of my passions, and I love to collect tiny porcelain animals. I think human connection is one of the most extraordinary things we get to experience. I worked on the budget committee and the fiction selection committee for riverrun.
Lilly Hyatt
My name is Lilly Hyatt (she/her), and I am a junior at UCCS. I am an English Secondary Education major and am looking forward to pursuing a career in teaching after I graduate! I am excited to be serving on the marketing and visual arts selection committees for this year’s edition of riverrun. In my free time, I take part in the local theatre scene around Colorado Springs, spend time with my pup, Izzy, and enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds of CO!
Grayson McCartney
My name is Grayson McCartney (they/them), and I am a senior at UCCS, majoring in English with an interdisciplinary minor in Linguistics! For this year’s riverrun, I have served on the budget and design committees, and I’m happy to have contributed the artwork for this edition’s cover design. In my free time, I’m usually writing, drawing, creating spreadsheets, or being a Minecraft command block wizard.
Tarra Miller
My name is Tarra Miller (she/her), and I am a junior at UCCS. I am an aspiring English teacher. I major in English with an emphasis in Education in order to achieve this goal. I love strawberries almost more than literature! I hope one day to publish my own work and share my voice with the world. riverrun was an amazing opportunity for me to understand the process of publishing. I worked on the marketing committee and the nonfiction selection committee. I loved reading the submitted works and getting the chance to understand the publishing process.
Andy Nguyen
My name is Andy Nguyen, and I am a senior at UCCS. I’m a Biochemistry major with a minor in Creative Writing (along with minors in Health Science, MLS, and Pre-Med). I’m a member of the design, radio, and poetry selection committees for the 2025 edition of riverrun.
Mason Peters
My name is Mason Peters (he/they), and I am a senior at UCCS, graduating in 2025. I major in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing. You’d never guess, but my hobbies include writing, reading, and trying to find new stories to experience! I served on the radio committee and the archival committee for riverrun.
Maiya Rosa
My name is Maiya Rosa, and I am a part of the design committee! I am currently studying English with an emphasis in Secondary Education. Some of my hobbies are working out, reading/Bible studies, and hanging out with my cat!
Andrew Tyree
I’m Andrew Tyree (he/him), and I’m a senior at UCCS. I’m majoring in Human Physiology and Nutrition with a minor in Creative Writing. I decided to branch out last fall and add the Creative Writing minor to my degree, and rediscovered my passion for fiction writing. My goal for the next few years is to focus on building my craft and earn my way into an MFA program. For this year’s publication, I was the team leader for the riverrun budget committee and part of the nonfiction selection committee.
Sophia Kustar — Managing Editor
My name is Sophia Kustar! I was part of the editorial class that published the 51st edition of riverrun in 2024, and in 2025, I started working for the journal part-time as the Managing Editor! I’m planning on graduating in 2026 with a degree in English Literature with minors in both Creative Writing and Philosophy. Writing and editing have always been passions of mine, and I hope to continue pursuing them in a career in the publishing industry after graduation. Sources of my inspiration include a couple of amazing UCCS professors, my two cats, and a chronic addiction to reading.
Susana Ramirez — Outreach Coordinator
My name is Susana Ramirez (she/her). In 2024, I worked as a student editor for the publication of riverrun Volume 51. In 2025, I continued to be involved with riverrun as Outreach Coordinator—the first year riverrun was able to hire two student employees. I will graduate in December 2025 as an English Literature major with a minor in Creative Writing.
Dr. Kirsten Ortega — Faculty Advisor
Dr. Kirsten Bartholomew Ortega is Associate Professor of English and Faculty Advisor to riverrun Literary & Arts Journal. She teaches ENGL 3170, the course in which the journal is published by student editors.
riverrun 