In an age where gaming and technology shape much of our daily experiences, their academic study has become essential. Professor Meagan Nyland, recently promoted to Director of Experiential Learning at Stevenson University, stands out as a key contributor to this field. Her work to cover this topic and express its depths to those who are interested in it is something that should be recognized and respected.
Professor Nyland’s courses, while specializing in writing, cover a broad range of topics. She teaches ENG 281 – Video Games: The Art of Interactive Stories, Modern Adaptations, and Mental Health & Literature. In addition, she instructs ENG 151 College Writing 1, ENG 152 College Writing 2, ENG 224 Introduction to Creative Writing, ENG 325 Fiction Writing, ENG 335 Advanced Fiction Writing, and unique writing subsections in ENG 225; Writing Through Experience (Travel Writing), Writing Video Games and Other Interactive Stories, as well as the gaming class ENG 381 Life is Strange. She also teaches ENG 256 Introduction to Digital Publishing, ENG 331 Design Your Career, and ENG 180 Storytelling, which focuses on communication. Furthermore, she serves as the Editorial Faculty Advisor for the Greenspring Review.
Achievements in Gaming and Fiction
Professor Nyland has been selected as a Global Game Jam (GGJ) Scholar and attended the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, a premier event for game development. There, she participated in a roundtable on making game jam websites more inclusive. Last year, she was also a consultant for the CCBC Tech Expo, which aims to merge storytelling with technological advancements.
Most recently, Professor Nyland’s short story “Spa-ntinaity” was published in Defenestration, an online humor magazine. The story follows Doris, a woman tasked with selling sudden teleport vacations for a company called Spa Today Away. Doris aims to reach 1,000 sales before her own first getaway, which would earn her an executive-level vacation. However, her latest clients challenge the logic of the sales pitch. There are plenty of other works by her available online, such as “How to Break a Dragon’s Heart” and “Quantum Love Letters”, the latter of which was nominated for the Pushcart Prize.
Looking Forward
Looking ahead, Meagan Nyland continues to advance her career with enthusiasm. Recently promoted to Director of Experiential Learning, she is excited about focusing more on “bringing experiential experiences to students both inside and outside of the classroom.” Reflecting on her new role, she shares, “In the past, I have largely been able to only focus these efforts within my own classes,” highlighting her innovative projects like collaborating with The Greenmount East Leadership Project and creating interdisciplinary opportunities in her Writing Video Games and Other Interactive Stories class. Nyland is thrilled that her new position “not only ensures that I will be able to continue to offer opportunities such as these, but to expand these efforts more regularly beyond my own classes.”
One notable example of her dedication to experiential learning is her initiative in taking the Greenspring Review Staff to the Association for Writers and Writing Programs conference in Philadelphia. This event provided students with invaluable networking and learning opportunities, reinforcing her belief in the importance of “networking, hands-on learning opportunities, and the ability to apply what we’re learning in the classroom to real-world circumstances.” Nyland remains committed to creating access to such invaluable experiences for students, helping them to succeed both academically and professionally.
post written by Finn Sheerin