2026-2027 Staff

Chad Kebrdle

Chad Kebrdle is an assistant teaching professor of English at Ball State University, where he teaches introductory writing classes and creative writing with a special focus on poetry.

Managing Editors

Nate Babb

Nate Babb is a senior at Ball State University and is an English Creative Writing major with a minor in Classical Cultures. He is serving as one of the managing editors for The Broken Plate and is also assisting the marketing team. Outside of class, Nate enjoys: playing the guitar; reading fantasy novels; hiking; and thinking about things. After college, he hopes to see more of the world and experience as many stories as possible.

Francis Hadley

Francis Hadley is a senior at Ball State, majoring in Creative Writing. He serves as the Managing Editor on The Broken Plate. As a fiction writer, he enjoys exploring themes of the occult, elitism, and psychology. He hopes to become a published novelist and to move to Chicago. Outside of literature, his interests include antiques, classicism, and fashion.

Prose Team

Seth Purvis

Seth Purvis is a senior at Ball State University majoring in English with a concentration in Creative Writing, as well as a minor in media. He serves as Lead Prose Editor for The Broken Plate. In his free time, he enjoys consuming literature and media in both visual and auditory formats. After college, he hopes to do more college (AKA Graduate School) and then try his luck at being a screenwriter in Hollywood. If and/or when that doesn’t work out, he could also settle with being an English teacher that writes on the side. 

Cassie Hall

Cassie Hall  Cassie Hall is a senior at Ball State University, majoring in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. Her role in The Broken Plate is Marketing lead and she will be working on advertising and social media. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting and reading Frieda McFadden. After college she wants to pursue a career in teaching English classes at a collegiate level.  

Aleigha Sweet

Emma Carlson is a junior at Ball State University, majoring in English Studies with a minor in Creative Writing. She is the Promotions Team Lead and a member of the Prose Editing Team for The Broken Plate. In her free time, you can find Emma curled up with a good book or hanging out with her friends. With the experience gained from The Broken Plate, Emma hopes to join the publishing industry as a book editor specializing in fiction after graduation.

Poetry Team

Emily Smith

Emily Smith is a senior at Ball State University, studying English with a concentration in Professional Writing while minoring in Creative Writing. She is the Lead Poetry Editor of The Broken Plate, as well as a member of the Marketing Team. Outside of class, you can find her writing reviews on Letterboxd, embroidering a shirt, or cuddling up with her cats Phoebe and Lucy—a tuxedo and dilute calico, respectively. After graduation, Emily hopes to take her experience and further pursue a career in publishing and editing.

Finn Wagner

Finn Wagner is a junior at Ball State University, double majoring in Psychology and Creative Writing. He is a member of the Poetry Editing Team and the Promotions Lead, it is his first year involved in The Broken Plate. When not reading American Classics, you can find him at hardcore punk shows or petting his cat.

Isa Roberts

Isa Roberts is a junior at Ball State University, majoring in English Creative Writing and minoring in Professional Writing. She is the Blog Lead and part of the Poetry Team for The Broken Plate. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, and doing yoga. After graduation, she plans to travel; either with the Peace Corps or to teach English in another country. 

Design Team

Alice Smidebush

Alice Smidebush is a junior honors student at Ball State University majoring in Creative Writing and Professional Writing and minoring in Women’s and Gender Studies. They are currently the Design Team Lead and are a member of the Website Team for The Broken Plate. After graduation, they hope to pursue a career as a writer for a wildlife conservation organization. In their free time, they enjoy birding with their family, crocheting, and listening to music. 

Ariel Moore

Ariel Moore is a junior at Ball State University double majoring in Professional Writing, and Media Design and Development. She is on the Editing Team and Website team for The Broken Plate. She enjoys crocheting and is currently working on a sweater. She also loves to roller skate and taught herself how to (kind of) roller skate backwards. When she’s not reading for class, she’s revisiting her favorite book from childhood just for fun and plans to fully reread the series to completion. One day she hopes to pursue a Technical Writing career, or a career in User Experience whether that’s the designing, writing, or the surprise third option, both!

Jersy Shipley

Jersy Shipley is a junior at Ball State University, majoring in English with concentrations in Professional and Creative Writing. She’s the Website Team Lead and a member of the Design Editing Team for The Broken Plate. At her day job, she works as an assistant to the owner of Pig-Pen Trucking, where she enjoys document design, organizing, invoicing, and other office work. In her free time, you can find her reading corny romance novels and psychological thrillers, listening to true-crime podcasts, writing about her life, or spending time with her loved ones. After she graduates, she plans to find a job in marketing, publish a few books, and travel the world.