Each semester, Indiana Review is lucky enough to take advantage of 3-4 plucky, wide-eyed undergraduate interns who help us with nearly every step of putting together an issue of the journal. From corresponding with contributors and subscribers, performing research, fixing web and technology problems we didn’t even know existed, and being all-around good sports–we simply couldn’t do this without them.

We want to say thanks by introducing you to the team of interns who’s helped shepherd our Winter 2013 issue, starting with the wonderful people who served as Summer 2013 interns: Brittany Brewer, Belle Kim, and Olivia Miller.

Read more after the jump!

Brittany Brewer is possibly the busiest bee we’ve ever met. A triple major in Theatre & Drama, Spanish, and English, with a minor in Telecommunications, she made time in her jam-packed summer school schedule to serve as our Contracts and Subscriptions Intern–and pulled everything off with a smile and a flourish. Fun yet unsurprising fact: She can wiggle her nose like a bunny.

Are you a writer? How would you describe your work?

I am a writer! My primary passion is playwriting. So far, this has ranged in length from 10-minute plays to long one-act plays in a variety of genres. With each piece, I attempt to provide material that is relatable to each individual within a family (though the play I am working on will grapple with a more graphic theme) as well as comic relief.

What do you like to read? Do you read other literary journals?

This is one question that always gets me! I’m particularly partial to classic fiction and fantasy. My favorite book is The BFG by Roald Dahl, which initiated my literary addiction. I am currently subscribed to Indiana Review and One Story, and I can’t help but have a soft spot for IR!

Would you rather have a missing finger or an extra toe?

I would rather have an extra toe…all the better to run long distances with, my dearies!

If your life had a theme song, what would it be?

My life theme song would be “Find Your Grail,” from the Original Cast Recording of Spamalot.

Why is IR the best?

Why is the sky blue? Why is peanut butter perfect paired with jelly? Why is ketchup good with everything? Some things just are! I would say the people make IR amazing. There may be a consistent fluctuation of staff as the seasons change, but the passion never wavers.

What are your future plans?

After senior year, I plan to attend graduate school in English Education, then pursue performing, writing plays, and teaching. I hope to make a difference in the education system by increasing the incorporation of the arts while pursuing my dreams. Find me on LinkedIn to employ an aspiring actress, writer, and educator! Will act for food!

Read on to meet Belle Kim!

After spending the first half of summer in Kenya reporting on HIV/AIDS, Belle Kim finally got some excitement when she joined us as Prize Intern. Eloquent, capable, and lovely to be around, Belle also has an affinity for furry rodent pets (including a rat who did tricks like a dog)–but we tried not to hold that against her.

Are you a writer?

I double as a journalist and creative writer, and also make attempts at graphic novels that allow me to indulge in my love for drawing. One of my ambitions is to someday publish a book of fiction and a graphic memoir.

What do you like to read?

I’m double-majoring in English and journalism and double-minoring in psychology and history, so I never run out of things to read. I start off the day browsing news networks, but I’ve never found nonfiction as satisfying as fiction. I love classics–Bronte, Dickens, Hesse–and Alison Bechdel is, beyond a doubt, my favorite graphic novelist. I also enjoy The New Yorker, Ploughshares, and Tin House.

My guilty pleasure is Agatha Christie’s murder mystery novels that feature Hercule Poirot, even though they make me more paranoid. I have a growing stack of them in a corner of my room despite the fact that I keep having nightmares about being murdered.

What are your hobbies?

I play the piano, which is great for letting off steam and relieving stress. I love to go for long walks and enjoy cooking a wide variety of Korean dishes. I have a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo, and am fluent in Korean and English, and know some French and Swahili.

Much to Katie’s horror, I recently got an adorable pet hamster that has a strong affinity for key lime-flavored Greek yogurt.

Would you rather have a missing finger or an extra toe?

I need all of my fingers for writing, drawing, and playing the piano–I can’t part with any of them!

What is your favorite part of being an IR intern?

I love peeking at all the submissions that come through. I always sneak a glance, and love seeing stories that authors must have sweated and agonized over before carefully sending them off to IR. I feel very lucky to have the experience of working at literary journal–now I know how they work, which will help if I am ever brave enough to send out some of my creative writing.

Why is IR the best?

Anyone can be published in IR–you don’t have to be a well-known author. This is a space for new writers to have their voices heard. IR publishes really high-quality work, And of course, the people who work at IR are full of boundless energy and enthusiasm! We have fun.

Read on to meet web intern Olivia Miller!

We implemented an overhaul of our website this summer, and we owe it all to the go-getter-ness of our Web Intern, Olivia Miller. A self-described (though it’s true) witty and hard-working ginger, Olivia cleaned up the nooks and crannies of our website while pushing forward our social media endeavors and being all-around awesome. (I’m not saying that just because she approved of my office soundtrack.) When her tenure was over, she rode off into the sunset of the wild west of Wyoming, where we imagine she’s pursuing a career in Rhetoric and Rodeo Clown Studies.

Are you a writer?

I do like to consider myself a writer. When I do write, it usually comes out as a poem. My work typically addresses everyday problems and topics of family, sisterhood, romantic failures, etc.

What do you like to read? Do you have a favorite author?

I’ll read anything that strikes my interest, but I still hold a special fondness for fantasy and magic realism. Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman series is my current favorite. I also admire Woody Allen because of the attention he draws to story in his movies–such as the end of Annie Hall when he re-writes his break-up with Annie to one that lends himself a bit more grace. I admire writers like Kurt Vonnegut and Wallace Stevens who comment on writing within their writing.

What is your favorite part about being an intern with IR?

I love the freedom allotted to the Web & Publicity Intern. I have specific tasks to complete on a daily basis, but the editors often give me creative license. All of my suggestions, even the outrageous ones like when I tried to make all our text advertisements glow, have been carefully considered. Thanks!

Would you rather have a missing finger or an extra toe?

I would rather have an extra toe because then I would have been the belle of the ball on the elementary school playground.

If your life had a theme song, what would it be?

Easy, my theme song would be “L.G. Fuad” by Motion City Soundtrack. If you request, I will passionately sing it to you for free. I’ve heard it’s a sight to see. Oh look, I just wrote some impromptu poetry!

Why is IR the best?

IR is the best because we don’t even need to spell out the whole name for readers to recognize the journal. Obviously we have street cred and the mere utterance of our initials–which sounds like the battle cry of a confused pirate–strikes reverence in the hearts and minds of bibliophiles everywhere. IIIIIRRRR!