All Student Success Letters
Katie Nave
Dear Gotham,
As the pandemic raged on in New York City this spring, I found myself without my usual comforts: lonely, and anxious. I knew from past experience that the best medicine for me, aside from SSRIs, is to write my guts out.
I got to work, sinking into solitude, messily documenting every feeling and every fear. I was intrigued by an email that landed in my inbox from Gotham in late April and decided to sign up for their One-on-One mentor program. A week later, I was on a Skype call with the brilliant Melissa Petro. She took the time to get to know me and my words, while both editing and gently encouraging me every step of the way.
Thanks to her guidance, I recently published a VERY personal essay about quarantining with my ex-husband in Business Insider. Fortunately, it resonated with many readers who are facing difficulties in quarantine and helped me to feel a little less alone in it all.
I’ve spent so much of my career elevating the stories of others and it felt incredibly cathartic to finally share one of my own. My relationship with Melissa has been one of the brightest spots during such a wild time, and I’m eternally grateful for her mentorship. She has given me the tools and the permission to take up space with my writing. I’m going to continue to do so, and I encourage everyone else to do the same.
With great appreciation,
Katie Nave
