Sigrid McKelvey

Just north of Merrymeeting Bay, not far from the banks of the Kennebec, sits an old, grey farmhouse surrounded by pine and cedar. Every September, Sigrid McKelvey makes the journey from these many-windowed walls and wind-bent trees to an island in the Atlantic, waving goodbye to father and mother McKelvey to become a student again. Sigrid is a quaint creature—she does things like bring ten pounds of rice with her on move-in day, play video games in her nightgown, sketch different outfits for her minecraft avatar, or leave her freshly brewed tea on the counter only to remember it hours later when she emerges from her room, seeking respite from her work. Though she considers herself a good student and academic writer, her real joy in writing stems from her formative years—consistent through her family’s moves through Washington, Illinois, and Maine, Sigrid spent much of her childhood hanging onto the words of Tolkien, Lewis, and McCaffrey, who instilled in her a passion for utilizing vivid, imaginative, impactful language in her work. Somewhere in her future lies a creative writing course, but for now she’s managed to weave that passion into academic papers, curating her writing through feedback from Su Yin Khor, Jamie McKown, Palak Taneja, and Karen Waldron. Though formulaic or scientific papers are not her strong suit, she’ll happily don her tutoring cap to help with any writing or assignment style—and maybe even share your grief on how one possibly makes a good conclusion.