Meet Our Interns

Remie Arena is currently in her first year in the MFA in Creative Writing program at The New School. She is on the fiction track and is passionate about literature of nearly all genres. Remie received her undergraduate degree from New York University where she concentrated in English literature and journalism. She enjoys painting, walking around unknown (to her) parts of the city, and discussing books. She is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana.

Akiel Bridgewater is a senior at Brooklyn College, studying Creative Writing and minoring in Sociology. After completing his undergraduate degree, he plans to either apply for graduate school, or pursue more jobs in the writing field.

Isabel Daniel is a fourth-year at Fordham University Lincoln Center studying English with a concentration in creative writing, and Women, Gender, Sexuality studies. She is currently in her second year of serving as the Editor in Chief of her school’s Literary and Arts Publication, The Comma. When she is not studying or producing events, Isabel can be found writing poetry, collaging, and scouring thrift stores for possibly haunted objects. After graduating, she hopes to further her career in literary event planning.

Shantel Dixon is an avid reader and writer, and enjoys going down rabbit holes in research for her latest stories. She recently graduated Hunter College with a Bachelor’s in English and a concentration in Creative Writing, and she looks forward to applying for graduate school this coming winter. The last book she’s read is Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca, which is definitely a read that invokes discussion, and the book I’m currently reading is Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica. One thing you may not know about Shantel is that she was a computer science tutor for two and a half years while in college.

Prior to interning for The Center, Kirsten Drew volunteered at the Portico Library, Manchester’s original 19th-century subscription library and newsroom, while studying for her Master of Science from the University of Manchester solidifying her ambition to join the book world. While remotely interning from Ohio, she is also working as a Branch Assistant at her public library. She aspires to join the publishing industry and live abroad in Europe.

Madison Ford is a Brooklyn based writer and actor pursuing her MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction Creative Writing at The New School. She is enraptured by the art of storytelling, both true and imagined. With a B.A. in Film Studies and Creative Writing from Columbia University, she is excited to explore all the ways words and media can translate the human experience. Among Madison’s many fascinations are true crime podcasts, miniature horses, and Nicolas Cage, all of which provide her a strange sense of peace.

Wenxiao Men is a first year student at New York University. She grew up in China, studied abroad in the United Kingdom and now the United States. Her first fiction “Dream Catcher” was recognized by Cosmic Bliss Ltd. and is currently in the publication process. Her writings can be found on her website. She is exploring her various interests at NYU, including creative writing, economics, and computer science. She also likes talking to people, cooking, knitting, and wants to adopt a kitten very soon!

Grace Shields, based in Brooklyn, is a second year student MFA student at the new school with a dual concentration in fiction and nonfiction. When not curled up with a book and a strong cup of tea, she can generally be found skimming the Rockaway Beach boardwalk, taking her dog to the park, or sketching out graphic memoir drafts. Her work was featured in the most recent issue of Sazeracs Smoky Ink literary magazine.

Nyla is a Brooklyn native and an English Literature major at Laguardia Community College with a passion for creative writing. The winner of the 2020 Lenore A. Beaky award for literary analysis, Nyla has a high spirited love for literature and the people that bring their own voices to the creative writing community. Apart from literature, Nyla’s favorite things include drawing and watercolor painting to which she hopes to include in her future endeavors. With the internship at The Center for Fiction, she hopes to learn how to develop her own voice as a writer and one day inspire more black women in literature.