The Expository Writing Program is grateful to Wendy Suzuki, Dean of the College of Arts and Science, for her support of this publication.

The Mercer Street selection committee—Tania Friedel, Grant Ginder, Mara Jebsen, and Jackie Reitzes—and the editorial staff are also grateful to EWP’s Executive Director and Assistant Vice Dean of General Education, Jenni Quilter, for her commitment to developing our department’s representation in the wider community of university writing programs and for supporting this publication in its aim to showcase the quality and breadth of our students’ work across our diverse classrooms. 

The editors are also very grateful to EWP’s other Directors, including Denice Martone, Nate Mickelson, Jono Mischkot (a previous Mercer Street Editor), and Bill Morgan (another previous Mercer Street Editor), in addition to our Editor, Abby Rabinowitz. And we would also like to thank Assistant Directors Olivia Birdsall, David Cregar, Jeannie Im, Michelle McSwiggan Kelly, Tara Parmiter, Amira Pierce, Normandy Sherwood, and Ethan Youngerman, as well as the many Writing Program faculty members who read submissions throughout the process. Finally, thank you to EWP Program Manager Christine Jensch, who continues to provide invaluable administrative support.

We also thank our new Managing Editor, Leeore Schnairsohn, and Senior Production Editor Richard Larson, both of whom ensured the seamlessness of our operation. Leeore’s careful attention and editorial insight in his work with these essays, as well as his advising and mentorship of the junior members of the editorial team, were invaluable in our effort to create this year’s lively and engaging edition of Mercer Street. 

And last but certainly not least, we owe so much gratitude to our three talented and resourceful undergraduate student editors—Jacqueline LeKachman, Megan Maxfield, and Samantha Ngai—for their hard work and keen eye for detail as they approached these essays with creativity and intelligence, without whom this publication would not have been possible. And a special thanks to Jules Talbot for our logo design and to Michelle McSwiggan Kelly for the cover photos for our past several editions.