“Literature can guide you to yourself.”

Twenty years ago, Raven Runnels popped into existence in Strayhorn, Mississippi. Her small town and Mississippi is what she has known for most of her life, but she craves for travel in her near future. Currently, Raven is a sophomore at Delta State University (DSU), yet she has never actually seen the campus due to the plague of COVID-19. She transferred to DSU from Northwest Mississippi Community College. She aspires to obtain her Bachelor’s in Secondary English Education and eventually a Doctorate in Education. Her passion for teaching blossomed at her highschool through books and a history teacher. Raven recalls how books “guided her to herself” and that her history teacher challenged her to grow as a student. The teacher’s influence was pivotal to Raven choosing education herself, and she desires to “introduce books that can guide children to themselves” as well. On top of being a student, Raven draws maps, takes care of her pets, listens to pop music, and drafts her book about bloggers. Her published works include Outreaches Becoming Outrageous: Podcasting the Writing Center.