Major: Double Major in English (Publishing Studies) and History
Class Standing: Senior
Why did you choose Hofstra?
I ended up visiting Hofstra by chance when I was visiting NYU in high school, but I came to Hofstra primarily for their publishing program. I knew I wanted to be an editor and this was the only school I had seen that specifically gave you the opportunity to study publishing.
What are you involved with on campus?
On campus, I have been a member of Entertainment Unlimited since freshman year. I have been on e-board for the last two years and I am currently the vice president. I also am a peer teacher for Book Editing II.
What have you done at Entertainment Unlimited? How has it been being president?
I’m vice president, but it’s so much fun! It’s a great group of people and I’ve loved working my way up the ranks! As a club, we are responsible for tons of on- and off-campus entertainment events. We show free movies every weekend, give away free food every week at Fridays @ 4, we do trips to Broadway shows, museums, and other places in the area and in the city. We also have large on-campus events like our annual Thanksgiving dinner, the Burlesque show, as well as cosponsoring Music Fest. Specifically as vice president, I am responsible for Fridays @ 4, helping with Music Fest orders, and picking up any tasks that anyone else is busy with, especially our president. We’re one of the largest student clubs on campus so it’s a lot of responsibility but definitely worth it!
Have you had any jobs or internships? If so, what are they?
I interned at Scholastic for two semesters in their licensed publishing department. I also interned at DK Publishing (a division of Penguin) for one semester as an editorial intern.
How do you think interning has helped you as a student and with your future career?
Interning was probably the most beneficial thing I did in terms of learning about publishing. There are so many benefits to interning. First, you make connections in the industry which are extremely helpful, especially if you have a good relationship with your supervisors and other people at your internship. Second, they help you to get real-world experience in the field you’re interested in. Learning the theory in the classroom is definitely helpful and gave me a huge advantage going into my internships, but actually interning I got to put these skills to the test. Third, you learn so much about your industry, especially things that you don’t get to learn about in depth in class. You get to have the experience and knowledge of participating in a setting that can’t be replicated in a classroom. And finally, it helps to build your resume and gives you great talking points on interviews and networking events.
Did you always want to study your major?
I’ve always been a big reader and I loved finding typos. When I realized that finding typos was a job, I knew I wanted to do that. So since about high school (when they really start asking you what you want to do when you “grow up,”) I’ve been aiming toward being an editor. Once I actually started studying publishing though, I learned that editors do so much more than find typos, and it made me even more interested in pursing it as a career.
What would be your dream job?
Eventually, I would love to be an editor for YA (young adult) books. I think it’s a great age range for books and they are some of my favorites.
What advice would you give incoming freshmen and high school students?
My advice to incoming freshmen and to high school students would be not to worry about knowing what you want to do right away. I knew what I wanted to do, but I also know a lot of people who weren’t sure, and they tried different things and found things that they loved. Once you’ve started taking some major classes, start looking into internships. They are incredibly valuable and you can never have too many! And ask questions: of teachers, supervisors, interviewers, peers, anyone. You can’t succeed if you aren’t sure what you’re doing, and people want you to succeed.