This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Western chapter.

Name: Shauna Ruby Valchuk

Position: Editor-in-Chief

Age: 21 (22 in November!)

Program: Creative Writing and a minor in Popular Literature and Cultural Studies

Hometown: Hamilton, Ontario

Tell me a little bit about yourself!

“Hi! I’m Shauna! I’m 1⁄2 of the Campus Correspondents at Her Campus Western this year! I currently live in Hamilton with my parents, dog and my lovely cat. Funny enough, I will be making the one hour drive to London for school. But no worries, it’s only one day a week—so I’ll get a lot of Podcast listening in. I’m in my fifth year here at Western, and will be finishing up my undergrad by doing a creative non-fiction thesis. It’s super nerve-racking, but I’m really excited!”

How did you get involved in Her Campus Western?

“I just saw an ad on Facebook looking for Junior Editors, so I applied. If we really want to get TMI here, I actually FORGOT about my interview for the position and was only reminded by my alarm going off TEN minutes before while I was on the HIGHWAY. I made it home in time, and made some excuse up about Google Hangout not working with my computer. I had NOTHING prepared, but somehow still landed the position. I’d like to think it was because of my charm but it was probably my panic…”

What’s your favourite article you’ve written for HCW?

“It’s a hard choice. Can I pick two? Content wise, my favourite article I wrote was Picking Up The Pen because it was extremely hard for me to write, but crucial that I write it, for my own mental well-being. But there’s also a special place in my heart for Why There Shouldn’t Be A Third Season Of Stranger Things. This was my first article that got a National Share, and was quickly ruined by a bunch of awful comments saying that I should never write an article again. ALL FOR SAYING STRANGER THINGS SHOULD’VE ENDED AT SEASON 2! Regardless, it was a good lesson in what it’s like to be a writer in the public sphere. And for all you wondering, NO I have NOT watched the third season of Stranger Things, strictly for moral reasons.”

What are you most excited about this year at HCW?

“I’m excited to be CC! Maggie and Alex talked a lot last year about how challenging but how rewarding the experience is. I’d love to get even CLOSE to the amount of love and dedication Maggie and Alex put into the club while being CC.”

What’s your favourite aspect of your program?

“Creative freedom. It feels so rewarding to have professors that WANT to know you and WANT to help foster your voice. I get a lot of flack for being a writing student, but I definitely have learned so many skills I could’ve never learned anywhere else—like workshopping, editing and self-cultivating my own voice.”

What did you do this summer?

“NOT MUCH. I worked nights doing merchandising at PetSmarts all around Southern Ontario. I took a lovely work trip to Windsor, Ontario, but that’s as far as I travelled!”

What’s your dream job?

“I really want to say astronaut, but I don’t think I have the scientific background for that. I think I’m tall enough though. I would honestly love to teach. I really want to be the person for students that my teachers were for me. Plus, summers off? Benefits? Oh baby!”

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

“The only places I really want to travel are France, Italy and Japan, but all of those places have a big language barrier… And as my grade nine French teacher could probably tell you, I don’t really have the best French accent. Out of the three, I’d probably pick Italy. I’m a sucker for warmth!”

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Meet the Editor-in-Chief: Shauna Ruby Valchuk