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Us, Your Authors🫣

Paul Muhlhauser

Yoyoyoyo! I look great holding that chicktini, doncha think? After meeting me, you'll find out more about my journey from Alaska to Maryland and how I survived. You'll come to understand how unprepared I was for humidity, poison ivy, and rattlesnakes. If you experience classes with me, you'll witness my expertise in remix (culture jamming & mashing movies together); transmedia storytelling; social media branding; pataphysics; and website design. If you take a class I teach, your dreams will come true and, for some of you, your wildest dreams will come true. I'm an ASSociate professor of English.

Class: Middle (used this Are You Middle Class? calculator to determine. ~$75,000/yr, 4 people in household)
Disability: None
Ethnicity: Alaskan with strong ties to, like, REI culture. Holidays ain't religious (e.g., we celebrate winter solstice and invented Solstice Sammy as a Santa Claus replacement.) Star Wars, MCU, Netflix, Paramount +, and Disney +
Gender: Cisgender, man based on performance but often feel nonbinary describes me.
Pronouns: ze/zim/zirs
Politics: Democrat, progressive | liberal, most recently voted for Kamala Harris might vote for Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren if they run again.
Race: White
Sexuality: Straight
Research Interests: Remix, Transmedia storytelling, Website design, Technological equity, Pataphysics, Meataphors, Sports industrial complex
Fun interests: Animal husbandry, What's Your Jock Support?, Roller skating, Wiffle ball, Naturing

Kendall Goscinski

Hi, I’m Kendall! I live in Maryland, the state deserving of an award for the bipolar tendencies of its weather. I am planning to Major in Writing and Publishing at McDaniel College, and I’m hoping to one day follow through on my dream plans of editing for a great publishing company, however I will be resorting to a cozy fireplace with a good book if all else fails. I adore quoting the most random things, making references that no one knows but me (and some really cool people of course), and I am constantly hoping that I don’t receive crickets due to my punny jokes. I'm a diehard fan of all the doms (haha see what I did there), and a Star Wars nerd since birth. I love nature and our planet; road trips are a must! I love meeting new people all the time, like my wonderful team here, and I am always open to making new friends. I’ve had so much fun working on this site with my team and I hope you love it as much as we do!

Class: Middle (not many specifics, but my fam is pretty chill)
Disability: None
Ethnicity: Irish and Polish (I'm hilariously white), born and raised in Maryland!
Gender: Woman
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Race: White
Sexuality: Straight
Research Interests: Pop Culture and Current Events (movies, books, celebrities, crazy news stories), Rhetoric, Fact vs Fiction, Publilshing and Editing
Fun interests: Reading and Writing (fiction mainly), Watching and analyzing movies, Crafting, Playing the guitar, Listening to and making music, Collecting vinyl records, Being friends with everyone

Katie Lookingbill

Hi! I’m Katie, a member of McDaniel College’s Class of 2028 and an Environmental Studies major with a strong passion for sustainability and protecting the planet. I love being outdoors, especially hiking, and usually have a couple of trips lined up through Airbnb to fuel my love of travel. Fitness is also a big part of my daily routine, whether I’m doing Pilates or getting in some cardio (running and biking are my favorites!) Outside of school and the outdoors, I’ve always had a deep love for history and literature, and I enjoy diving into both whenever I have the chance, especially the classics (Jane Austen, Fitzgerald... the usual suspects). I have strong opinions about book-to-movie adaptations; most of them miss the mark, but I do have a thing for historical shows that turn everything into high drama. Animals are a big part of my life, especially my bunny Thumper and my cat Freya. Just don’t expect me to stick around if there’s a bee nearby. I appreciate and admire them, and love when they’re printed on a fabric… but I will run. Every time. (Can you tell I haven’t been stung before?)

This project and especially the team have been so much fun to work with and really helped me grow as a writer. I have never been a part of something with as much support and creativity that pushed me to take more risks and think in entirely new ways. I hope you enjoy exploring our work and maybe even take something meaningful away from it.

Class: Well, I’m a dependent, so I’d say Upper Class, if we’re talking about just my income: Lower Class.
Disability: None
Ethnicity: Part Irish on my mom’s side, but mainly German from my dad. I am a Christian and deeply value Christian holidays. I wish more people still valued the real meaning of Christian holidays, rather than getting caught up in the materialism and pressure to buy gifts.
Gender: Woman
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Politics: I hate the two-party system with a passion and consider myself Independent, but am a registered democrat for voting purposes. A lot of my beliefs stem from my faith, where I vote based on my values rather than party lines.
Race: White
Sexuality: Straight
Research Interests: Silly fun stuff like remixing sad edits of shows and movies (Normal People will always get me), using clips of cute animals just because they’re cute, or playing with Taylor Swift lyrics to reframe cultural narratives. But also, meaningful stuff like remixing literature to highlight themes of justice, critiquing environmental overconsumption through the media, and exploring how remix can challenge dominant narratives around culture, identity, and tradition.
Fun interests: Traveling and hiking are number one. After that, I love cycling, running, and just staying active. I go through phases with crocheting, but when I’m into it, I go all out: Santa hats for my cat, toast-shaped coasters (“toasters”), and even a mushroom purse!

Sydney Perry

Hi, my name is Sydney. My friends call me Syd. Do you want to be my friend? Anyway, I am a freshman this year (2025) at McDaniel College, and I like to sing and act. My favorite show I was in was “Freaky Friday” when I was a junior in high school. I got to play the role of photographer. I have enjoyed working on this project. It reignited my love for writing. For me, writing had been a chore because I didn’t want to be told how to write. But this project has taught me so much about my writing style and has let me be creative, which isn’t something you always see in an English class. You know what else I love? Taylor Swift. I am a die-hard swifty. (You’ll see a few of her references in my writing) I’ve seen her in concert three times, not to brag 😊. I am also going to be an elementary math teacher (ironic since I just told you how much I have loved writing), and I can’t wait to get into a classroom next year, and I can’t wait to be an actual teacher. I hope what I’ve written has taught you something, and I hope you had fun reading it. See you next time!

Class: Middle
Disability: Short Term Memory Loss
Ethnicity: White. I am Christian and celebrate Christmas and Easter, but my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving.
Gender: Cisgender woman
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Politics: I don’t know much about politics, but I voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
Race: White
Sexuality: Straight
Research Interests: Getting more funding and support for special education, how Taylor Swift impacts society, plagiarism, rhetorical equity vs. equality, and how music impacts people.
Fun interests: Singing, dancing, playing the piano, acting, roller skating, painting/crafting, watching/participating in musicals, reading poetry