Ms. McDonald, a VMI alum, returned to the Institute as a Writing Center Consultant in 2026. During her cadetship she worked as both a Library Cadet Assistant and a Peer Consultant for the Writing Center. Her departmental honors thesis focused on Young Adult Literature, and she earned her B.A in English with a minor in Spanish in 2021. Ms. McDonald then went on to earn her MSc in Creative Writing at the University of Edinburgh, graduating in November of 2022. Her master’s thesis focused on an original work of literary fiction, Lost Ones, which she continued to write and edit throughout her time in Scotland. It is now in the querying process.

In addition to working at the VMI Writing Center, Ms. McDonald teaches English and World Cultures at Stuart Hall School in Staunton, Virginia. She challenges her students to think critically, connecting literature and the arts to history and current affairs.

Outside of work, Ms. McDonald travels as much as she can, collecting inspiration for her latest story. Her research interests include autofiction, life-writing, and the evolution of the novel. She is currently working on a creative essay about returning to the United States after a life abroad. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, taking photographs with her film camera, and reading just about anything she can get her hands on.