Minor in Professional and Technical Writing
Nawaal Calilah Nackerdien, 2026
Degree: BFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in fiction, minor in professional and technical writing
Hometown: Pretoria, South Africa
Future plans: Nawaal plans to go into publication with a dream of working for a fantasy and science fiction book publication. However, at George Mason, she learned to be open to whatever opportunities may come her way.
Nawaal developed her passion for and expertise in creative writing through a range of activities at George Mason, including leadership roles and internships with the university’s student-run publications and publishing house. These experiences became some of the most meaningful and memorable parts of her time at George Mason.
Putting a passion for creative writing to work: Nawaal’s passion for creative writing fueled her involvement at George Mason. During her undergraduate career, she was editor-in-chief of Fourth Estate, the student-run newspaper; managing editor of the Forge, the fantasy and sci-fi magazine; a reader of both In Short and Volition; and an intern for Stillhouse Press.
She attended the College Media Awards in D.C. with the Forge, where they won several awards in their division.
“I will never forget how elated we were, winning second place for Literary Magazine of the Year, first place in Cover Design, and more. Being able to learn more about leadership and publication, and more at the conference itself, was very inspiring and drove my team and me to create even better issues.”
She attended Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) in Baltimore with Stillhouse Press, which she said was a very memorable experience, meeting both George Mason alumni, students, and published authors.
“At AWP, I was able to become closer with the staff at Stillhouse Press and also explore Baltimore. I enjoyed going to off-site literary readings, watching my friends ride a mechanical bull, and interacting with journals that I may submit to one day.”
Most impactful courses: "Contemporary Fiction" taught by Associate Professor Eric Anderson and "Introduction to Poetry" by Associate Professor Peter Streckfus-Green.
Contemporary Fiction with Professor Eric Anderson expanded her horizons on what a modern novel can look like.
“My understanding of how the novel was structured, and its themes were quite markedly changed. It made me reflect on how I had been processing my own work, how I had been hemming myself into a box."
Through all of Professor Anderson's classes, she learned a lot about what it means to create a story. The classes helped her to deepen her examination of a piece of literature and find different avenues to consider its themes and characters.
Introduction to Poetry, a required course in the BFA program, helped her develop an appreciation for poetry and the ability to experiment in her writing, pushing her art to a new level.
“Both of these classes reminded me that I can ‘play’ with my work. Any limitations I experience are only those that I have set for myself. The overall message I received from my George Mason creative writing career was to let myself experiment and play. Don’t be afraid to wander away from your comfort zone.”
Favorite George Mason memories: Nawaal’s favorite memories included the awards and conferences she attended; she also said that some of her favorite George Mason memories involved the accomplishment of completing work through the many organizations in which she participated.
“Being able to celebrate with all the organizations I was in when the newspaper, issue, volume, book, event, and others, were complete. Seeing all of our hard work being presented before us, having some good food, talking about life, and being proud of what we accomplished will definitely be the highlight of my college experience.”
Advice for future Patriots: “Being unsure and doubtful is normal. We always fear that which may hurt us, but trying and learning is more important than having never tried at all. I learned so much by just trying and putting myself forward, even if I was hurt at the end. By experiencing that hurt, and learning from it, I was able to try again and again, moving from one position to another.”