First-gen graduate: Writing is ‘about being in conversation with others’
In addition to volunteering with a children's literacy service organization, Department of English Dean’s Medalist Emerson “Sheyla” Amaya swept the competitive ASU Glendon and Kathryn Swarthout Awards in Writing this spring, winning first place in the undergraduate category for both poetry and fiction — an unusual feat.
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2026 graduates.
Arizona State University student Emerson “Sheyla” Amaya is a first-generation graduate who didn’t just “do” the work for their degree — they crushed it.
Chosen as The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Medalist in English for spring 2026, Amaya is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in English (creative writing) with a 4.12 grade-point average. They will begin an ASU Online master’s degree in secondary education with teaching certification in fall 2026.
A Barrett, The Honors College student, Amaya has volunteered with ASU Page Turners, a children’s literacy service organization, and has served as president of ASU’s chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the national English honors society.
They also swept the competitive ASU Glendon and Kathryn Swarthout Awards in Writing this spring, winning first place in the undergraduate category for both poetry and fiction — an unusual feat.
Amaya grew up in Glendale, Arizona, and said that as a child they often felt overlooked and unsure. They recognized early on the power of writing, storytelling and language to help process experiences and to create change. That realization led them to consider a career in education.
In addition to starting the master’s program, Amaya has been selected to join Teach for America in the Tolleson Union Unified School District.
“I kept coming back to the idea of wanting to do something meaningful, something that wasn’t just about me, but about showing up for others in a real, consistent way,” they said.
The Dean’s Medalist selection committee commended Amaya for a commitment to service and to using language to move forward: “They approach poetry as a public act and a means to speak out and take risks.”
Question: What was your “aha” moment, when you realized you wanted to study in your field?
Answer: My “aha” moment wasn’t a single, clear-cut realization, but something that built over time. I’ve always been drawn to language, but there came a point where it stopped feeling like just something I used and started feeling alive. I began to notice how words could carry memory, how they could shift depending on who was speaking and how they could hold things that were otherwise difficult to say out loud.
Poetry, especially, became a kind of lifeline for me. It gave me a way to process experiences, to make sense of things that didn’t always have a clear shape. At ASU, that feeling deepened. Through workshops and discussions, I realized that writing wasn’t just something I enjoyed — it was something I needed.
Q: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective?
A: No perspective exists in isolation. In my classes, especially in poetry workshops, I was constantly surrounded by people whose interpretations and experiences were different from my own, and at times, even challenged what I believed about a text or about writing itself.
At first, that was difficult. It’s not easy to have your work read in ways you didn’t intend. But over time, I began to understand that those differences weren’t contradictions — they were expansions. Everyone brings their own lived experiences into the classroom, and those experiences shape how they read, write and understand the world. Writing, I’ve learned, is not just about expressing yourself, but about being in conversation with others.
Q: Why did you choose ASU?
A: I initially chose ASU because it was close to home and financially accessible for me, which made it a practical decision. But once I arrived, it became much more than that. I found a community that encouraged growth, creativity and exploration.
ASU gave me the space to figure out who I was, not only as a student but as a writer and as a person. The diversity of perspectives, the support from faculty and the opportunities to explore different forms of writing all contributed to an experience that felt both grounding and expansive.
What started as a practical choice turned into a place where I was able to fully grow into myself.
Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?
A: As someone who moves between different forms of writing — essays, fiction and poetry — I’ve been fortunate to work with instructors who supported that range.
If I had to choose, I would highlight (Faculty Associate) Leah Newsom, who taught my ENG 388: Intermediate Fiction Workshop. She was incredibly supportive of my creative risks, even when my ideas were unconventional.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?
A: Do what you know, deep down, is right for you. Not what feels easiest, not what feels safest, but what feels honest. There will be moments where things don’t work out, where you question your choices or where failure feels overwhelming. But those moments are not wasted. They are part of the process of becoming.
Trust that your path does not have to look like anyone else’s to be valid. If you are intentional with your choices and open to what they teach you, you will come out of it stronger, more self-aware and more grounded in who you are.
Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?
A: I would focus on expanding access to education, particularly for communities that have been historically underserved. Education has the power to change not just individual lives, but entire generations. It creates opportunities, fosters critical thinking and allows people to imagine futures that may have once felt out of reach.
More Sun Devil community
ASU Online graduate studies harm reduction approaches in addiction psychology
Leanna Monahan’s academic path at Arizona State University has centered on understanding substance use from both scientific and human perspectives. This May, she will graduate with a master’s degree…
Department of Psychology graduate turns recovery into a path for helping others
Jenaro Hernandez is graduating from Arizona State University with a master’s degree in applied behavior analysis, a field focused on understanding behavior and helping people build new skills.…
California grad chooses a unique path to medical school
By Amanda LoudinMost pre-med students choose biological sciences as their major, but for Nya Clemons of Fontana, California, the logical choice was sports science and performance programming at…