Student Interview: Ashley Nix
Bio:
Ashley is a book enthusiast who currently calls Indiana home. A former teacher turned publishing pursuant, Ashley loves all things that incorporate the world of literature. Her favorite books are usually Fantasy, with her most recent 5-star rating given to When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker. Outside of school and reading, Ashley enjoys traveling as much as she can and getting into the open outdoors. She is a loving pet mom to her Bernese Mountain Dog named Rue and Balinese Cat named Mia. While attending GWU, Ashley works as a Proposal Coordinator, creating and editing proposals for government agencies. Within her coursework, Ashley is always seeking to relate projects and assignments to her passion for children's literature and education. If you’re ever looking for Ashley, you can probably find her at the nearest hiking trail with her dog or local coffee shop trying a new brew.
What does ethics in publishing mean to you?
Ethics in Publishing is something that I’ve really learned so much more about since attending GWU. Being ethical about something pertains to the moral principles of it, and I think in the world of publishing there is so much out there that is questioned. Publishing should be a place where diverse ideas and topics are shared and discussed. When looking at multiple publishing topics, the ethical questions raised usually surround truthful and accurate findings, access to information, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), and the ever-growing world of technology. I believe talking about and sharing information regarding ethics in publishing will lead to a more valuable community.
What recent ethical topics in publishing are you interested in and why?
The one that hits closest to home is banned books. Even though I’m not an educator anymore, I am still incredibly passionate about the world of education and how education is run in the U.S. It deeply saddens me that it feels like we’re heading backward by banning books within schools. The right to access books is incredibly important to have in schools, and I don’t believe that the government should decide what we can and can’t read. I am proud of the initiative that a lot of companies have taken to promote their books that are considered to be banned and increase accessibility to them. I am also passionate about DEI within publishing and promoting more diverse voices to be heard. I think this is something that can always be improved upon, and I’d like to support it in any way I can. The issues surrounding AI are constantly being talked about, so I think that might be an oversaturated topic to discuss, even though it is important.
How would you describe your experience with the journal?
I have really enjoyed working with the journal. The best part for me has been working with the most supportive team and collaborating with them. My role has been focused on creating graphics for social media, and I’ve had a great time being able to utilize my creativity and apply it to the journal. It’s really exciting to be able to see something you’ve done posted on a professional social media account. I think it could also be fun to learn about the other sides of the journal so that I can be informed about the different aspects of what it takes to run a journal. I’ve appreciated this opportunity a lot and truly find it to be a positive community.
Within the context of marketing for an ethics-focused journal, how do you balance promotional strategies and maintain the integrity and ethical standards the journal upholds?
Because GWJEP is a journal about ethics, it’s important that we uphold the integrity of the journal by sharing and discussing hot topics within the publishing world. We are able to promote our authors, their ideas, and articles by creating graphics dedicated to sharing who they are, as well as pulling quotes from their articles to highlight their specific ethical topic in the journal. Outside of the journal’s articles, the marketing team keeps track of current publishing topics by following Google Alerts. If there is anything specific that relates to the journal’s ethical interests, we are able to share that with the community. I think that talking about ethical publishing topics outside of what the journal publishes is important in growing and maintaining our audience.
How has ethics in publishing influenced your job/career/profession? How has it influenced your education/learning?
This specific role has provided me with experience that shows my dedication to publishing on my resume. I’ve become interested in the marketing side of publishing because of what I’ve learned. Like most people, I was focused on editorial roles, but now I know that marketing is something that I could be really good at because of the creative thinking it requires. I love using my creativity and being part of the marketing team has increased my strength in this area. It has helped me to think outside the box and apply different strategies to my assignments. It’s also helped me in the team collaboration area more as we discuss a lot of different topics and ideas together.
What is something you would like to see the journal do in the future?
GWJEP is still so new, and I think there are a lot of opportunities as it continues to grow. For starters, I think it could be beneficial to have one or two meetings per semester with the whole journal committee to discuss what we’ve been doing and share anything interesting that could be beneficial for other students to learn/know about. GWU already does a lot in helping students with career paths, but maybe the journal itself could have special career connection opportunities to learn about specific journal presses and what they may have to offer with careers. In regards to journal content, I think it would be beneficial for the journal and their social media to have video interviews with some of the authors/publishing professionals that would promote the discussion of ethics in publishing.