Masthead

Elaine Lee is a student of English literature at the University of Toronto. She is the winner of the 2022 Hart House Literary Contest in the poetry category and serves as Deputy Editor-in-Chief for the English undergraduate academic journal IDIOM.

Julliana (Yanni) Santos is a fourth year undergraduate student in English and Psychology. She is the managing editor for The Mike, as well as the co-president of Missives: Adventures in Letter-Writing. Her most recent work can be found in Goose and the Trinity Review.

Victoria Li is in her second year doing a Specialist in English. She has been experimenting with writing in multiple languages and is interested in exploring literature written in Cantonese. She writes under the pen name August and her work can be found in UofT’s Śvās Magazine. She is also currently working with The Spectatorial.

Cristiana Da Costa is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, studying English and Sociology. She is the editor of Mnerva Literary Journal. Her writing can be found in IDIOM: English Undergraduate Academic Journal.

Genevieve De Giorgio is a third year student specializing in English and minoring in Literature and Critical Theory and Creative Expression and Society. She has a fondness for music in a wide array of genres and loves making enormous families of origami cranes. When she’s not reading yet another book, she can often be found on a comfortable chair drinking hot chocolate as she comes up with new writing projects.

Ann Jacob is a second-year student studying Health and Disease, though they’re an English major at heart, really. When not studying, she’s reading, and if not reading, she’s watching trashy TV. 

Caitlin Mah is a first-year social sciences student (she yearns to study Political Science and LCT one day). When not reading or writing, she is scrolling r/mycology, considering buying another fountain pen, or napping. At U of T, Caitlin can be found reclining on the steps of Old Vic, or peering into the graduate carrels at Robarts. She hopes to retire in an English countryside manor with three cats and a lover, even if retirement is a long ways away.

Jeanne Polochansky is a psychology specialist student and a published poet, found most recently in The Trinity Review. Her third year at Acta Victoriana, she is also Editor-in-Chief of The Spectatorial, an undergraduate editor at Inkblot: The Undergraduate Journal of Psychology, and Digital Content Writer at the Innovation Hub. She tends to write about loss and longing inspired by her identity as a first-generation Kazakh-Canadian and studies in the arts, and is awaiting publication of her first novel.

Diana Vink is a second-year student studying Literature and Critical Theory, Creative Expression and Society, and Women and Gender Studies at UofT. An aspiring writer and poet, her favorite kind of work is that which bends the boundaries between poetry and prose—this is the work they usually write and are passionate about exploring! Beyond that, Di has a special love for spoken word, an affection for semicolons, and an addiction to Times New Roman. After both being a part of the editorial team and being a contributor last year, Di is super excited to be a part of the AV team and can’t wait to read the amazing submissions!

Janus Kwong is a fourth-year student at the University of Toronto, pursuing an English Specialist and Economics Major degree. She has a deep fascination with bookstores, sunsets, and coffee shops and will likely be found lost in her own thoughts at any time of the day. 

Elaine Lee is a student of English literature at the University of Toronto. She is the winner of the 2022 Hart House Literary Contest in the poetry category and serves as Deputy Editor-in-Chief for the English undergraduate academic journal IDIOM.

Manuela Mora Castillo is a second-year political science and history major that wrote as a blog correspondent at Acta Victoriana last year. She has participated in multiple essay-based competitions, written in her school’s magazine, and done several personal short stories (which remain unpublished and well-hidden). Recently, she’s just content with enjoying any Latin American novel, and her current read is Apocalípsis by Colombian Mario Mendoza–a book that, so far, she heavily recommends.

Jevan Konyar is a second-year student in the NMC and Linguistics departments. He’s previously worked with publications throughout Vic.

Jaxzen Sandell is a fourth-year philosophy student pursuing a career in the arts. He enjoys writing poetry, watching movies and spending time with his cat, Chidi.

Kiana Sarmadi is a writer based in Ontario, Canada.

Cleo Sood is a fourth-year undergraduate student studying philosophy and English literature at the University of Toronto. Sood is a writer with terrible writing habits. Sood’s preferred genre is creative non-fiction/autofiction; she also dabbles in screenplay writing. 

Follow Cleo Sood on Instagram! (No, seriously, please follow her on Instagram.) @cyborgcleo

W. Song is a student of literature with a love for both 19th century English novels and classical Chinese poetry. In writing about Chinese ideas from the Western perspective and vice versa, she wishes to be a voice for the East in today’s predominantly Eurocentric literary and social discussions and promote cross-cultural understanding and appreciation.

Una V. is a proud Vic student who thinks that both Taylor Swift and Anton Chekhov are the best things to have happened to society. Ever. If she’s not stuck in lectures, you’ll find her hanging around Emmanel College, raiding the professors’ kitchen and reading to her heart’s content. 

Allison Zhao is in her fourth year writing for Acta Victoriana, which she has been doing since the beginning of her undergrad at U of T. She loves reviewing books, always appreciates cafe recommendations, and probably has a pen you can borrow.