Ashlen Renner
Writer, Multimedia Storyteller
Seeking to leverage my expertise in blending creativity with research to produce thought-provoking essays that connect stories from a distant past to the present. Dedicated to journalistic inquiry and delivering engaging content that draws on deep research to shed new light on a variety of subjects.
Skills & Abilities
Proficient in various aspects of media creation and communication, including writing, journalism, research, and video producing and editing. Adobe Creative Suite certified.
Education
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
George Mason University
May 2024
BA in Media and JournalismUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
May 2017
Expereince
2021-present
Graduate Teaching Assistant, English Literature
George Mason University
Developed and taught a course on forms of nonfiction storytelling, focusing on ideas of essential truth and narration. Encouraged students to engage critically with global narratives and perspectives.
Summer 2022
Alan Cheuse Center Travel Research Fellow
George Mason University
Conducted independent study in Germany of the 12th Century Abbess Hildegard von Bingen as part of a creative writing thesis and book project. Interviewed medieval experts and hiked a 135km-long pilgrimage trail from where Hildegard was born to where she died.
2019-2021
Video Producer, University Communications
Elon University
Produced and edited videos including motion graphics for marketing and promotion purposes. Helped Develop Facebook Live Q&A sessions with Elon Admissions for incoming students.
2017-2019
Reporter, Regional Video Producer
McClatchy Carolinas, The State Newspaper
Pitched and wrote news stories and video scripts for seven regional newspapers. Produced multiple award-winning short documentary videos focusing on underrepresented communities in South Carolina.
Leadership
Nonfiction Editor of phoebe literary journal, a bi-yearly publication of creative writing. Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines, while maintaining a high standard of quality and creating an open-minded and safe environment for exchanging ideas.
Awards and Publications
New Ohio Review
“Shed” — Creative Nonfiction Essay
Publication forthcoming Fall 2023
Alex Albright Creative Nonfiction Prize Finalist
“Abundance and Thirst” — Creative Nonfiction Essay
North Carolina Literary Review
Spring 2023
Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest Finalist
“the time i brought a pie to a gun fight” — Prose Poem
Winning Writers
August 2023
Phoebe
“Reckoning with Systems and Running Slowly: An Interview with Lacy Crawford”
April 2023
First place “Best Video Awards”
South Carolina Press Association
2018, 2019, and 2020