Valerie Meessen has a background in English language and culture and graduated from the Research Master Literary Studies in Nijmegen in 2016 (Radboud University). Her main research topics of interest are nineteenth century female writing, including feminist analysis, and reception studies. After obtaining her Research Master degree, she pursued a teaching degree as a qualification to teach English as a second language at all levels in the Netherlands. She combines her work as a teacher of English at a secondary school with an academic position as Teacher in Residence at Radboud University, conducting research into students’ transition from secondary school to university and developing teaching materials with academic components that can be used in the classroom.