Julia Mehlin '26

Julia Mehlin ‘26 | English major, Professional and Creative Writing minor

If you ran into Julia Mehlin ’26 on campus, there was a huge chance that she’ll be smiling. When she wasn’t reading, writing, or enthusiastically discussing Victorian literature, Mehlin spent her time attending humanities events and working as a writing consultant in the Academic Resource Center (ARC). With dreams of taking her literary skills to the editing, publishing, or journalism industry after graduation, Mehlin landed a job as news reporter for Voices, a community newspaper in Southbury, Conn., where she assists with writing, reporting, copy editing, and social media. The Conley Scholarship recipient attributes supportive faculty and the kindness of the Hilltop community to her positive, enriching experience at Saint Anselm College.

Why did you choose Saint Anselm College?

I chose Saint Anselm when my brother toured the College when I was in 7th grade. I just fell in love with campus because it’s small, it’s beautiful, and I noticed that the people are very nice here. At Saint Anselm you will have the door held for you and people will smile at you in passing. I wanted to go to a small school with a tight-knit community! When I was a senior in high school, I took an online pre-application course with Professor Gary Bouchard. It was a small group, just myself, Professor Bouchard, and another girl who ended up becoming one of my close friends! We just talked about literature the whole time, and after connecting with Professor Bouchard I knew I could see myself doing well at Saint Anselm. 

Why did you decide to study English and writing?

I’ve always enjoyed writing creatively. When I was in high school, I took a creative writing class and loved my English classes, but I was more into history at the time. When the pandemic happened, I got really into poetry, started to read more classics, and fell in love with literature. I decided to be an English major because it was my favorite things (history and writing) wrapped up in a nice little package! I got my history fix while creativity is at the forefront of my education. In English classes at Saint Anselm, you are exposed to different periods of literature, like Victorian literature,19^th-century American literature, Renaissance literature. It’s so cool because you’re reading stories from those times while learning about history! 

Did you do any internships at Saint Anselm? 

Yes, I interned in the Office of College Communications and Marketing (CCM) on campus for two semesters. I focused mainly on writing stories and creating social media captions for the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences. I really, really enjoyed it and it was a very cool experience. Director of Communications Anna Brennan-Curry was so good to me, encouraging, and really helped me grow as a writer. Her advice was very constructive and I learned so much! Professor Meoghan Cronin told me I should apply for the internship, and I am so thankful that she was able to connect me to CCM.  

What else were you involved with on campus? 

I was a writing consultant in the ARC and I loved going to Come Friday Forums. I had the opportunity to run one with Professor Cronin called “What did we lose when we stopped writing letters to people?” I also loved attending talks when poets visit, like when Poet Laureate of New Hampshire Jennifer Militello did a reading of her new book. She signed my copy! 

How was your experience with faculty?

I loved the English and Communication Department. All the faculty were so good to me, and I’ve learned so much from them. As a writer and as a student, Professor Cronin truly inspired me. I tend to be very critical of what I write, and anytime I brought something to her she would encourage me and help me make it better. Her enthusiasm for English is so inspiring, you can tell she loves it so much. When a professor loves what they do and what they teach, it rubs off on students. 

What was your favorite class? 

The Brontës with Professor Cronin. There were seven or eight people in my class, and everyone was so kind. Thanks to Professor Cronin, I love the Brontës and Victorian literature! She ushered me into that world with Victorian literature, and when I took The Brontës, I was just enthralled. Everyone is very participatory in English classes at Saint Anselm because they are so invested. My second favorite class was Poetry of the Undead with Professor Bouchard, which was a modern poetry class. Jay Parini visited as a guest speaker once and became one of my favorite poets ever. 

Did you study abroad at Saint Anselm?

I studied at the University of Galway in Ireland for a full semester! I went with one of my friends which made me feel good because I knew someone, but I met a bunch of other people from the States. I loved getting the Irish perspective, and the overall experience was very eye opening and life changing for me. I gained a lot of insight as a writer and as a student, just being in a different environment. I read a lot of Irish literature while I was there like W.B. Yeats and Oscar Wilde. I would say if you have the opportunity to study abroad and that's something that can be arranged then go for it. It was a fantastic experience.

What is your favorite book? 

Definitely The Tenet of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë. There’s so much happening in that book, so many characters, and story depth. It was published in 1848 and was one of the first domestic novels about a woman facing abuse from her husband. At that time, it was a crime for women to run away from their husbands, but the main character in this story does anyway. She escapes her husband’s brutal and cruel wrath and fleers to a manor in the countryside. It’s an epistolary novel that starts as a letter and goes back and forth with a love interest and small-town Victorian gossip. My thesis was written about the two male characters in the story. I also love The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Song of Soloman by Toni Morrison, which really changed my perspective on writing.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to study English or writing?

If it’s something you love and you're passionate about it, study it — it will inspire the trajectory of your life. English is all about being like human. It’s a way to connect and empathize with other people and stories from the past. Being a good writer is super important no matter what field you're going into, and I learned so much from being an English major here at Saint Anselm. There's something in English for everyone and if you love literature and writing, then why not? 

How did it feel to receive the Conley Scholarship? 

It meant the world to be recognized for my writing and the things that I've done during my time at Saint Anselm. As a freshman, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to handle the college workload and felt overwhelmed but to hear my professors say such nice things about me as a student felt so validating and amazing to hear. I am so humbled and feel so much gratitude for people I was supported by and looked up to over my four years on campus.