Nadine Jamora

Nadine Jamora is only a freshman here at Stony Brook, but the connections she’s making have already had lasting impacts on her academic and professional journey. As the President and Founder of Journal at Stony and an intern for the Humanities Institute, Nadine plans to use what she’s learned through her experiences on campus to someday teach at a college level, inspiring future generations of English students. 

What made you pursue English as a major? What’s the most fulfilling part of your major?

I don’t know when exactly I realized what books can do, and how far a reader can travel into herself and outside of herself. But ever since I was young, I’ve always gravitated towards books. My parents have been very supportive. My mom used to bring me to the bookstore every Sunday after church and it’s a hobby I’ve kept and enjoy doing. . English was also my favorite school subject growing up, but I chose to pursue English as a major for a reason more than my love of books and literature. . There is a quote that my EGL204 Professor, Katherine Johnston, said that really stuck with me; she said that there is creative reading as well as creative writing, and I think I’m a creative reader. I love analyzing books. Once I read a book and get into the analysis, my world opens up. Everything in my life gets more textured and I start connecting things together. The English major  makes my life more meaningful and allows me to be intellectually curious and ambitious.

What is the biggest difference you’ve seen from your time in high school and being in college?

I get to focus a lot more on my interests now that I’m in college versus when I was in high school, but the things I learned in high school undoubtedly shaped my understanding of what I know now. It truly set the foundation for my academic journey. I had an amazing high school experience, actually. It’s a part of the reason why I decided to study English. I’ve always had great English teachers. 

Are you involved in any extracurriculars/jobs/internships at SBU? 

I am a member of the English Department’s Advisory Council and President and Founder of Journal at Stony, a club dedicated to providing access to wellness journaling. We’ve built a community of students who are passionate about journaling, scrapbooking, and letter-writing. I’m also an intern for the Humanities Institute at Stony Brook (HISB) with Dr. Scheckel and Adrienne Unger. I conduct marketing and interviews with visiting scholars and artists. I recently interviewed a Professor from Columbia two weeks ago, and I really enjoyed it. 

What has been your favorite class that you’ve taken so far? 

I would say EGL204 with Professor Katherine Johnston. I learned the foundations of literary analysis and she’s really inspired me to teach at a college level someday. I also took British Literature, EGL205, with Professor Robinson which is one of my favorite courses. I like that I was able to take it in my first semester at Stony Brook because it was a great transition from highschool to college. His whole class told a story in a way because the literature was all interconnected with one another. It made me realize that I chose the right major.

What’s been the most interesting thing you’ve learned either from any of your classes or your time as an English major?

Right now I am taking EGL311, Literary or Critical History, with Professor Koski, and we’re learning a lot about posthumanism, postcolonialism, and post-structuralism. It’s helping me a lot with my other classes as well. I’m able to make connections by using what I’ve learned in this class to concepts outside of English.