Writing their futures: MSU English grads turn internship experiences into doctoral ambitions
By Kaitlyn Yeatman
IN MEMORIAM:
Joseph N. Newell, an MSU English graduate student and aspiring educator, passed away in June 2025 at the age of 24. This previously scheduled article is being published in his memory and with the support of his family. Mississippi State University, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Department of English honors Joseph’s legacy as a gifted scholar whose passion for literature and storytelling left a lasting impact.
“I realized there are so many types of writing—you can write for a magazine, for essays, for news stories,” said Portia Agyapong, reflecting on her internship in Mississippi State’s College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office last summer. “Even though I initially struggled because I was stuck with an academic writing mindset, it was an amazing experience to learn different ways of writing during my internship. I really learned a lot from it.”
For Agyapong and fellow graduate student Joseph Newell, their summer internships in the Dean’s Office were more than just résumé builders—they were transformative moments that helped shape their next academic steps.
While Agyapong earned her bachelor’s degree in her home country of Ghana and Newell earned his bachelor’s degree at MSU, both students earned master’s degrees from MSU’s Department of English. Now, they’re preparing to take the next leap: Agyapong is pursuing her Ph.D. in English at Georgia State University. Newell, from Cary, Miss., is headed to Vanderbilt University’s doctoral program in English.
Their paths to this next chapter have been marked by strong mentorship, hands-on experience and the opportunity to stretch beyond traditional classroom expectations.
“I was fortunate to build connections with my professors and actively sought their expertise,” said Newell, who interned in the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office during the summer of 2023. “The master’s program set a high standard that prepared me for intensive study while encouraging me to be an active learner both in and outside the classroom.”
The Dean’s Office internship gave both students a chance to apply what they were learning in new, real-world ways. For Agyapong, it was a crash course in flexibility—and self-discovery.
“When I was given the opportunity to write magazine articles, it was amazing,” said Agyapong, who authored articles in the 2025 edition of Vision magazine. “And in as much as I enjoyed it, it also informed me that I want to be in the classroom.”
Newell, who wrote for Vision magazine in 2024 and 2025, found that MSU’s Department of English had a commitment to academic excellence and professional development that extended well beyond the syllabus.
“The program provided numerous opportunities to attend professional conferences,” he said. Newell presented his paper, “Endearment and Infantilization in ‘A Room with a View,’” which was later published in the South Atlantic Review. He received the 2023 MSU Gender Studies Essay Award for his article.
“These conferences allowed me to present my work to established professionals, enhancing my ability to respond to challenging questions and improving my expertise in the field. This preparation ultimately led to the publication of one of my essays, helping me understand the process of producing original scholarship and the importance of being engaged in rigorous scholarly writing.”
The pair also speak warmly of the people who made their MSU experience meaningful—inside the classroom and out.
“The people—I met so many wonderful people,” Agyapong said. “Aside from the courses helping me to explore my research interests—my professors, the people that I met when I was doing my internship here, the people that I met in my Ghanaian community, the people that I met outside my department—they’ve been amazing. I realized that wherever you go, you need your people. You need people that are going to believe in you. You need people that are going to make you feel comfortable.”
For Newell, that sense of direction started on day one.
“From Dr. Keenum’s first declaration at freshmen convocation to ‘go to class,’ I knew that MSU would encourage me to keep my eye on what matters, and that is a message that has been pivotal in my journey, no matter the life challenge or distraction,” he said.
Both scholars are now setting their sights on careers in higher education—and paying it forward.
“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” said Agyapong. “With my experience in the master’s program, I realized that I really want to be a professor. And my female professors—they really inspire me a lot. Whenever I look at them and the work that they are doing, I know I really want to be like them. I was not sure if I was up for a Ph.D., but I think I can do it because they really believe in me. And I think it’s time that I also give myself that grace and believe in myself—that I’m capable and I can do it.”
Newell echoed her sentiment—and shared a vision that goes beyond the classroom.
“I plan to become a professor of English while working on my own research projects in hopes of developing a field-defining study,” he said. “I also plan to partake in mentorship in and outside the classroom to provide the same experience for others that I received. Likewise, I plan to start a foundation to help support students of any race, religion or creed in their lives and academic journeys by providing scholarships, internships, hosting events—some charitable and others informative and academic—and giving talks to multiple high schools and colleges to hopefully inspire the next generation of scholars after me.”
From learning to craft a magazine story to preparing for doctoral-level research, Agyapong and Newell say their time at MSU helped solidify their goals and sharpen their skills. As they head off to new universities and new challenges, they carry with them not just degrees, but a sense of purpose—and the confidence that they’re ready for what comes next.