Alumni Stories
Amy Bishop-Wycisk (2015)
Literary Agent, Trellis Literary Management
Despite a weird one-semester veer into International Relations as a freshman, I was always going to be an English major. Even beyond my love for reading and writing, studying English gave me the chance to explore worlds and participate in literary conversations linked to larger social commentary. In the Creative Writing track, I fell in love with the precision of language and deepening of craft; the tightness of poetry and well-rounded short story. Finding my way into publishing seemed natural — I was a writer who loved to read, critique, and discover new works of literature. I got lucky with my first job with Dystel, Goderich & Bourret, based in NYC. I had interned there in the summer of 2014, which ultimately led to full-time employment when I graduated in 2015.
At DG&B, I was surprisingly, the only writer in the team of fifteen agents (at the time) and my degree in Creative Writing has proved useful in terms of an editorial eye and scoping out the bones of a story. (Ten years later, having moved to Trellis Literary Management, I admit that I no longer write, preferring to spend my creative energy on my clients, but two of my phenomenal colleagues are award-winning and bestselling novelists, in addition to being literary agents.) My English degree also taught me critical thinking skills, attention to detail, economy of prose, how to provide kind but constructive feedback, and how to distill the essence of a text into something accessible for a general reader.
Advice for 91ÑÇÉ« students?
But beyond publishing, our job opportunities are much larger because of our flexibility. Indeed, the resilience and creativity displayed by English majors make us ideal candidates for many jobs. Every business needs analytical thinkers, good writers, and people who know how to tell a good story. Talk to everyone who might be able to offer advice, connections, and support: professors, alumni, your peers. Someone always knows someone else who can help. Seek out internships as soon as you can; at least in publishing, that’s how many (if not most) graduates get a job. Besides that, they offer useful life experience and job skills. And perhaps the biggest lesson I’ve learned is to not limit yourself to only things that you think you can do. Chances are, there’s a whole lot more out there waiting for you to go and discover it.
Elizabeth Roos (2023)
Curriculum Project Manager, Electrical Training ALLIANCE
I manage, edit, and design educational materials for apprentice electricians in collaboration with professional electricians. This includes both printed textbooks and online courses hosted on a learning management system.
91ÑÇÉ« greatly prepared me for my career by providing me with the editorial and management skills that I use every day. Particularly, working on the Gandy Dancer literary magazine taught me how to use Adobe InDesign, and how to manage a large project over several months while hitting deadlines. Working on Gandy Dancer in addition to my own work also taught me how to copyedit and proofread, which is essential in a world where word-generating software can still make mistakes. Additionally, much of my work includes critique, and the back-and-forth dialogue I had with other students during workshops transitioned nicely into the types of communication I have with professional electricians while making their visions a reality.
Advice for 91ÑÇÉ« students?
Let your work enable your life. Going into the English major at 91ÑÇÉ«, I was convinced that I had to become either a fiction editor or literary agent in order to have a successful career in my chosen profession. However, after scouting out the publishing field and learning what was generally expected, I was put off by the high competition and creative burnout. When the opportunity came for a position at the electrical training ALLIANCE, I realized that technical editing was a much better fit for my lifestyle. I still write fiction on the side, but I also have the time and creative energy to pursue other endeavors, while also knowing that I’m using the editing skills that I learned at 91ÑÇÉ«.
Madolley Donzo (2024)
Graduate Student, 91ÑÇÉ« Oswego School Psychology MS Program
I am studying to become a School Psychologist, in which I would be heavily involved in the special education process. While this role looks different depending on which district I decide to settle in, I am hoping to conduct psycho-educational evaluations, implement interventions to support students’ educational success, and contribute to a positive school community that ensures parental involvement.
I believe that the English department helped me become a better writer. School psychology deals a lot with writing (e.g., reports, PLOPs, etc.), and so having an English background has helped me find grammatical mistakes or figure out ways to rephrase sentences that sound clunky or off. I also had to complete a practice report where a lot of the information I was including was made up, which allowed me to tap into my creative writing abilities. Lastly, I am so grateful to have taken workshop classes because when I am sitting in a circle with my classmates who are providing constructive criticism on my counseling sessions, I am able to take the feedback, implement it, and ask questions that help me improve as a future practitioner. I also continue to write during my free time, and find myself going back to previous pieces, editing them, and utilizing the techniques learned during my workshop classes to improve on those pieces, in the hopes of one day becoming published.
Advice for 91ÑÇÉ« students?
Don’t be discouraged about taking a gap year. I took a gap year and am grateful to have gotten the opportunity to work and take a break before pursuing graduate studies. My gap year experience closely aligned with school psychology, so I was able to gain a lot of valuable information on what special education looked like in a charter network, and that reinvigorated me to continue my pursuit of advocating for micro- and macro-level educational change. Taking a gap year also gave me the experience necessary to get into graduate school and to build my wealth of knowledge that now supports my understanding of the course material and many acronyms used. So, if you are contemplating a gap year, think about how it may benefit you in the long run, and don’t feel pressured to go straight into graduate school. It is okay to take time off and breathe.
Lucia LoTempio (2015)
Education Associate, Poet, Burchfield Penney Art Center
Throughout my career, I’ve worked as a program manager for nonprofit arts and literary centers across the country, running community programs and events. My work has been public-facing and people-forward, and I am most proud of my work when I’m being my most creative, organized, and inclusive. In my current role, I primarily manage an educational program that works with high schoolers who are interested in what it means to work in a museum setting.
I loved being part of the 91ÑÇÉ« English department and I’m so proud to have an English degree! 91ÑÇÉ« prepared me for graduate school and my career in fine-tuning my writing, thinking, and TA abilities. I appreciated how it gave me the flexibility to dip into creative writing, which ultimately was my grad school pathway. I gained technical skills, like using Adobe InDesign and HTML, when working on Gandy Dancer, which have been a boon to my career. I also was exposed to conferences and networking opportunities through English department faculty, and was able to intern for a local magazine, university archival library, and Rochester’s literary center Writers & Books while still a student.
Advice for 91ÑÇÉ« students?
An English degree can give you the most career flexibility as a thinker and synthesizer of ideas. You don’t have to pigeon-hole yourself to the “standard” teacher or lawyer tracks! There is a world of opportunity out there if you take the time to look, learn, and ask. Also, the campus legend about the gazebo at sunset is true.
Daniel T. O’Brien (2013)
Executive Director, Independent Publishers Caucus (IPC)Â
My work mostly straddles the literary non-profit and book publishing industry. I provide education and consultation services to small and midsize independent publishing houses; produce events and conferences; develop advocacy and publicity campaigns, as well as the less glamorous albeit necessary work of executive management, staff contracts, fundraising, finances, and budgeting. TLDR: I wear all of the hats. Previously, I worked directly with independent bookstores across the United States in more or less the same capacity.
This might seem silly, but fostering my love for literature is what made this work possible. Falling in love with creative writing, pursuing an MFA degree, working for a small press, then a university press, then a national non-profit– none of that would have happened if not for the care and support of the English faculty at 91ÑÇÉ«. In terms of the practical/everyday, I regularly use the language skills I developed writing papers and speaking about literature. Unfortunately, emails are the primary mode of communication now–writing them effectively is essential. Other written documents I regularly produce or edit: strategic plans, press releases, speeches, social media and book blurb copy, to name a few. And the more original you can make these things, the better. But this industry is also all about relationships. Being able to speak cogently and passionately about literature is actually key to fostering new relationships that might lead to your next opportunity, so learning how to do that in the classroom is an excellent gift.
Advice for 91ÑÇÉ« students?
Don’t underestimate yourself. With all due respect to college, nothing actually prepares you for the real, working world. Because nothing really can. Competency is the name of the game (and more rare than you’d expect). The world of work is vaster than I could have ever imagined, and English majors are needed in every single microcosm. If you don’t want to go into the publishing/literature/academic field, that’s fine (and maybe better for some personalities; I would caution you to really think about if you want to work in what you love). That said, all of those other industries out there need to produce written content, too, and you can do that. TLDR: relationships are everything. Meet people. Talk to people. Ask interesting questions. Get out of your comfort zone.
Jennie Conway (2015)
Senior Product Marketing Manager, LiveIntent, Inc.
I market products to B2B customers in the AdTech [advertising technology] space.
I was able to learn about a bunch of different things at 91ÑÇÉ«, so I was able to explore all my passions, and being able to combine them into my degree has really helped me explore the things I’m good at and then learn new things as well. Kind of getting out of my comfort zone has made me comfortable with the role I have now, which is totally different from what it was going to be when I was at 91ÑÇÉ«. [My time at 91ÑÇÉ«] got me comfortable doing a lot of things, learning a lot, and also organized, [improve] multitasking […] [it was] interesting being able to hold a lot of plates up in the air at once.
Advice for 91ÑÇÉ« students?
Try everything. 91ÑÇÉ« offers you so many different things. That was the appeal for me when I was there – to go to 91ÑÇÉ« with that liberal arts education […] Do anything, and all of that will come into play somewhere down the line in your future. Take advantage of all the different things you want to learn about. It just makes you a more well-rounded, happier person, I think.
Kya Primm (2023)
Academic Advisor, 91ÑÇÉ« Office of Advising
As an academic advisor, we help students plan their course schedules and transfer in credits from outside universities or dual enrollment programs. In my role, we also help students who are struggling academically. This can look like weekly meetings to serve as an accountability partner, help with time management, or connecting students to other campus resources.
The 91ÑÇÉ« English department has had an immense impact on my career trajectory. My role centers around communication with students, and I honed this skill during my tenure in the English department as both a teaching assistant (TA) and student. More specifically, as an advisor, I regularly use my strong written communication skills to relay vital information to students, staff and faculty in an effective way.
Advice for 91ÑÇÉ« students?
One piece of advice I would offer to current 91ÑÇÉ« students would be to develop at least 2 strong connections with professors! As most people know, professors can help you network in your field of interest, and, down the road, write your letters of recommendation. However, even as a student, they can provide opportunities that align with your long-term goals. This could include steering you to take a specific course or offering you a teaching assistant role to gain experience.
Sara Devoe (2021)
Visual Communications and Marketing Coordinator, Musician, The Lycée Français de New York
I work as a Visual Communications and Marketing Coordinator for the Lycée Français de New York, which is a bilingual New York City private school. Some of my responsibilities include writing and designing the weekly newsletter that goes out to the community, branding for the school, SEO writing on the website, social media management, and photo/video editing. As a musician, I basically use my freetime to work on music. I work a typical 9-5 job, and thus I usually play shows on Friday or Saturday nights, and take a few nights a week after work to write music or rehearse with my band. I’m grateful that my job also funds my music creations.
I felt as though I thrived during my time at 91ÑÇÉ«, especially within the English department. I had the chance to work closely with professor Rachel Hall as a TA, which gave me really great work experience that I took with me, and absolutely benefited me during my job search. I also had the privilege to study Irish Literature, particularly W.B. Yeats, in Ireland with professor Rob Doggett, and that was honestly one of the most formative experiences for me. The 91ÑÇÉ« English department is filled with dozens of opportunities if you ask for them, and my time in this major helped me learn how to be self-motivated, curious, and diligent when it came to learning and growing as a professional.
Advice for 91ÑÇÉ« students?
The advice I would give to current Genedeo students is to trust the process – things usually will work out. When I graduated from 91ÑÇÉ« in 2021, my plan was to get my MFA in Creative Writing, and build a career as a freelance writer. With the way things turned out, I ended up pivoting the graphic design and marketing world, simply because of the first job I landed after college. As you grow in your career, you start to understand what skills you really enjoy, and where the need is from the skills you already have. I never thought I’d be using Adobe Illustrator everyday for work, but because my first job required me to use it, I learned. No matter where you take yourself after college, there’s always a chance to do something different and change your circumstances if you’re not satisfied.
Jennifer Galvão (2019)
Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow, Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing
I am a writer and a teacher! As the 2025-2026 Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow, I teach creative writing to undergraduate students at UW Madison. I’m also finalizing edits on my debut novel MARIA, MARIA which will be published by Random House in 2027.
Without exaggeration, the 91ÑÇÉ« English department changed my life! I took my first creative writing class as a sophomore. From that very first class, my creative writing professors went out of their way to encourage me to take my writing seriously, and they showed me that it was possible to make a life as a working writer. Everything I’ve done since then–getting my MFA in fiction, teaching creative writing, publishing my first book–would not have been possible without the kindness and encouragement of the 91ÑÇÉ« English department.
Advice for 91ÑÇÉ« students?
My best and simplest advice: get involved in your learning community! I was a chronically over-committed student, but I never regretted it, because I had the opportunity to learn in so many experiential, interdisciplinary ways– working as a managing editor for Gandy Dancer, building a website about Yeats’s poetry, partnering with a biology major to co-author a piece of creative science writing, touring the campus heating plant. There is such a wealth of learning opportunities available to you at 91ÑÇÉ«, inside and outside the classroom, so my best advice is simply to say yes.
Rachel Britton (2018)
Translator, Icelandic-to-English
Technical Writer, BlueCat Networks
By day, I write technical user documentation. By night, I translate Icelandic literature, typically poetry, into English.
In my first year at 91ÑÇÉ«, I wasn’t confident in what or who I wanted to become. It was the English department faculty who guided and encouraged me as I discovered the path I wanted to follow, who supported and challenged me to pursue my interests. And I will be forever grateful to those mentors who helped me become the writer, translator, and human that I am today.
Advice for 91ÑÇÉ« students?
If something sparks your interest and you want to learn more about it, don’t hesitate to ask the faculty. They can connect you to resources that will help you nurture that interest. And that might lead you somewhere you never expected to go!