About Me

Hello! My name is Clara Barnhardt. I graduated from James Madison University in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and a minor in Creative Writing. I graduated from JMU with my M.A. in Communication and Advocacy in May 2022. I am passionate about making a positive impact, creative writing, and Japanese culture.

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Passion for Impact

Have you ever felt the strong desire to do something, even if the reason behind it was inexplicable? I have. My purpose in life since childhood has been to help people. When a friend was sad, I’d be their shoulder to cry on. When a classmate couldn’t decipher a reading passage, I’d assist them. This drive to create a positive impact led me to work on several projects for nonprofit organizations. I have helped run a shopping event to benefit lower-income families, exceeded a fundraising goal to benefit a children’s choir, and executed a strategic plan to address the needs of lower-income households in our community. Working on each event has furthered my dream of helping as many people as possible.

Passion for Writing

From the moment I could hold a pencil, it became my life goal to become a writer. Throughout my life, I’ve crafted tales about fantasy worlds. During college, I was blessed with the opportunity to not only build those fictional worlds, but to explore creative nonfiction ones. Finally, during my graduate program, I discovered a passion for writing qualitative communication research, especially the narrative-based autoethnography. I continue to regularly hone my passion for writing and have published one autoethnographic journal article.

Passion for Japanese Culture

ちょっと日本語を話します。This Japanese phrase, read “Chotto nihongo wo hanashimasu,” translates to, “I can speak a little Japanese.” Ever since the fifth grade, I have loved Japanese culture. During the summer in between my sophomore and junior years of college, I studied abroad in Japan. Additionally, I was an active member of the JMU Anime Club from 2018 through 2020. Over the years, my interest in Japan has helped me hone cultural competency, confidence, and creativity.

During the Fall semester of 2019, I worked with the Elkton Area United Services on an event. This image is from when I was helping run the kids’ activities station.

I like to think of my life as a novel. Every moment, no matter how small, is an opportunity for a new chapter to be told.


I took this photo on my second night in Kyoto, Japan. One of the things I love most about the country is the breathtaking scenery and architecture. The image on the Home page, which is of a traditional Japanese garden I visited in Nara, also reflects my love for Japan.