Elisha is a student in the English Honors Program and the Vice President of Alpha Nu Zeta, currently working on her thesis focused on otherness in The Picture of Dorian Gray.

What made you pursue English as a major?

 I always really loved reading books growing up. Books kind of give readers the privilege of going into different worlds where they don’t necessarily need to be themselves. I like the idea of books being an exploration of different narratives and different identities, and that’s something that really spoke to me and something that I really enjoyed engaging in. I was a journalism major at Suffolk before I transferred. And so I think Journalism was too analytical for me. I really loved the more interpretive aspect of English.

How did you hear about the English Honors Program? Why did you enroll in it?

I was nominated for the English Honors Program. The first time I heard about it was when I saw it in my email inbox. I thought, oh, what is this? And so I looked into it more on the department website, and I think I really liked the idea of pursuing research out of my own desire. The idea of proving to myself that I could complete an extensive project like the thesis was really attractive to me.

Tell me about your Original Thesis; What led you to this topic? Who’s mentoring you?

My topic is about The Picture of Dorian Gray, and the duality and otherness depicted in Gothic literature. I’ve definitely struggled with narrowing down that topic. The idea of otherness in Gothic literature is very prevalent; for example, Dracula is very much a racialized figure. He’s very put out from the norm, and Stoker uses a lot of rhetoric about his Eastern European and racialized features. That idea was something I was really interested in. Through this, I kind of went more into how Dorian Gray and his obsession with maintaining his beauty and ideals, kind of, ironically, puts him outside of the norm, despite how he is the peak ideal man. I feel that was a really interesting idea that I wanted to explore more.

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

I’m the Vice President of Alpha Nu Zeta on campus, which is the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society, and we just focus on fostering a fun, literary environment for English majors and minors. I recently joined the Sandpiper Review, and I’m the head nonfiction editor. This is my first semester in the literary magazine, so I’m looking forward to seeing how that goes. I started writing for the Stony Brook Press, so it’s been great to go back to my journalism roots. I was chosen for the Career Center’s DPLN program (Developing Professionals Leveraging Networks Program), where they match students with a host company, and mine is Penguin Random House. I meet with a mentor every week, and we talk about things like company culture and professional development. She’s been helping me with applications for publishing internships and other things in relation to the publishing field, which is incredibly valuable.

What career path are you interested in after you graduate?

I’m interested in getting into the publishing field, specifically in the editing process. I’m particularly looking at the production editorial side, and the role combines the processes of assembling and editing the book.

What advice would you give to current English majors at SBU who are interested in the Honors Program?

I would say not to beat yourself down. Do not just assume that you can’t achieve the things that you are hoping to one day do. I feel like that is something I definitely struggled with a lot at the beginning. Put yourself out there in situations like finding a thesis advisor and joining the honors program. If you do not try, you are automatically excluding yourself from achieving these opportunities. Apply to the things you want!

Brian is a PhD candidate whose research focuses on modernist literature. His passion for modernism as a literary movement drives both his dissertation research and teaching, where he brings precision and engagement to the study of 20th century texts. 

What are your specializations and topics of interest as well as what you’re currently working on? 

My specialization is 20th century Anglophone literature. I focus specifically on modernist novels. I’m really interested in geographical space and place, historical memory in that sort of fiction. The novel just happens to be the genre, the mode that I’ve focused on the most. I’m also starting to work more with the bildungsroman and coming of age. I realized that a lot of my dissertation was focusing on texts with younger characters, so that’s helping it come together. What I’m working on right now is a chapter of my dissertation that looks at Elizabeth Bowen, who was a late modernist and a huge short story writer and novelist. I’m looking at one of her texts, The Death of the Heart. My dissertation focuses specifically on how these different modernists represented the city and interrogated it through youth. 

What led you to go for doctoral studies? Tell us about your previous academic background.

The desire to go for my doctorate actually came very early in my academic background. I was in high school and planning to be an English major when someone was like, “What are you gonna do? Be a doctor of literature?” And I was like, okay, I think I want to do that. I did undergrad with that in mind, I went through my master’s program, and then in 2013, I started teaching. I taught literature and composition courses in California community colleges until I moved to New York in 2017, and then I started the doctoral program at Stony Brook in 2018. My interests also have not really shifted. A lot of people’s periods that they focus on shift, mine has pretty much stayed the same. It’s been modernism since I was a sophomore in college. But the way that I look at it, my lens has shifted a lot since then, which is good, right? 

Were there any mentors, classes, or experiences that shaped your path into this field?

I think everyone has that high school English teacher. I had Mrs. Casper in 12th grade. In college, I had a lot of really great instructors, specifically the instructor who first introduced me to modernism as a literary movement. And then here, I’ve gotten something from every single professor I’ve taken classes from.. I think the courses that I took the most from were the people who are now on my committee. Celia Marshik’s modernism class, Mike Rubinstein’s Irish Modernism class, and E.K. Tan’s class on postcolonial literature. Those were really some of the more specific standouts that, again, helped guide my attention to what I wanted to be working on now and gave me ideas, things I hadn’t thought about in relation to my own work, especially E.K.’s class. 

Has teaching influenced how you think about your own research?

Teaching in general requires the need to consider how you’re coming across to other people. How were you thinking about the things you’re interested in to convey them to other people, right? 
It’s not enough to just be passionate about literature or think that good writing, whatever that looks like, is important. I have to be able to think about what I’m asking students to do and how best to articulate that for them. With modernism specifically, it’s considered fairly inaccessible. It’s this experimental, often avant-garde type of writing that doesn’t always lend itself to being read by first or second year students. That’s when I started reading it, that’s when I fell in love with it. So I absolutely don’t think that’s the case, but I understand that. Thinking about how to articulate my ideas about why something is significant for students has really helped me.

What’s one piece of advice you often share with undergrads who are curious about graduate school?

The same piece of advice that I got from my undergrad faculty who were advising me is to think about the length of time you’re willing to invest, think about how important it is to you, and where you’re living is going to be. Those are all things that don’t seem stable these days in terms of jobs, but are really important to know if you’re going to make this commitment. I think that if you really want to do this, you’re going to do it anyway. That’s what I did. 
But go into it with your eyes open about the challenges. 

The other thing is, have an idea of what you want to do and who you want to work with. Be open to exploring when it comes to classes. That was a piece of advice that my high school English AP teacher gave me just about college in general, to explore as much as you can. Literature, and scholarship is big and vast and varied, and that’s what makes it exciting. Balance between knowing what you want to do or having a sense of what you’re passionate about, but be open to doing new things as far as your potential research interests. That is one of the really fun things about this type of work that we are doing.

Kevin is a passionate and active English Teacher Prep student eager to begin his career as an ELA teacher. His love for

 literature, cultural studies, and discussion makes education the perfect fit for him to embolden the next generation of learners, and have fun doing it!

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

Originally, I wasn’t an English major. I was actually a Journalism major for my first two years at Stony Brook. I just sort of fell out of love with it. When I was thinking about what I wanted to do with my life, the more I started gravitating towards teaching as a future career. The most fulfilling part, to me, is the discussions with your professors and your peers, and you gain a more informed opinion of yourself, the literature, and the world.

What made you pursue teaching? 

I’ve had great experiences working with kids, and I really love English and reading, so I just thought teaching was just a match made in heaven. I want to make an impact on kids and be a good role model for them. I love just reading and sharing my passion for literature with them. 

How did you hear about the Teacher’s Education Program? Are you enrolled in the BA in English Teacher Education Program or the MAT in English? 

I first heard of the program from Joshua Cabat, the Director of the Teacher Education Program.  I expressed my desire to teach, and he said that I should just apply. He helped me with the process of applying, and he’s the reason I’m kind of here today. I am in the BA/MA accelerated program so I will graduate with my Master’s in Fall 2027.

What has been the most fun/interesting thing you’ve learned from the Program? Is there a class that stands out?

In the BA/MA program, I am able to take master’s level classes as an undergraduate. I took EGL 587, Literature in diaspora, last year with Professor E.K.  Tan. Jamaica Kincaid’s A Small Place, is one piece of literature that really stood out. The main lesson was that tourism is not a reflection of the state of the country, but rather a mirage that the country wanted to show, and just because you go to these tourist spots doesn’t mean you have an informed opinion about the state of the country. I traveled abroad this summer, and that really did inform my opinion. I’m seeing just the glamour of the country, but there are real institutional struggles everywhere you go. That is the point, to keep a holistic thought about people and your surroundings.

What advice would you give to other students who wish to join the Teacher’s Education Program or are already in the program?

I think for anyone who’s interested in the educational program, you really just have to ask yourself: Do you love it? There’s a lot when it comes to teaching in terms of hours and responsibilities. I think if you can say “Yes, I can play all of the roles that I need to as a teacher, I am willing to put in all of the effort needed for my students”, then yes, you should absolutely pursue it.

For the students who are in the teaching program, one thing I’ve learned is just to have fun. Start with reading your favorite work, showcasing your excitement with help students become invested and excited too. It should be fun, interactive, and interesting. Be all in.

Angelyse is an English major in her senior year who is incredibly passionate about the interdisciplinarity and community of her major. In her studies, Angelyse likes to focus on theoretical approaches to literature and how it relates to historical events, all while engaging in active discussion with her peers to take her research to the next level!

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

I genuinely had always loved taking English classes in high school. I was always so excited to see my English teachers, talk to them, and express how I felt about certain texts and books. I just didn’t know the opportunities that the major offered. When I began my college career in STEM, I realized that I wasn’t necessarily choosing the path that I felt was going to make me happy. I decided to do something that I had passion for and I felt I could excel in, and that was English. Now, I’m not dreading coming to class every day. I am waking up, and yes, I’m tired, but I’m excited to walk into the classroom. I’m excited to talk about what we’ve read. I’m excited to just do what I truly love. 

I think the most fulfilling part of my major is the people. When I entered the department, the people made it so exciting, especially all of the professors. They all love what they do. The environment that I get to walk into, and how stimulating it is, grows my passion for English. 

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

The biggest difference that I’ve seen from my time in high school and being in college; is that in high school, I wasn’t challenged by my peers. That’s not to say anything negative about intelligence, but I just wasn’t challenged. We simply answered the questions the way our teacher wanted us to do, but I always wanted to give more thought and analysis. When I came to Stony Brook, I feel like my ways of thinking, the way I perceive texts, even my life, it’s constantly expanding. I really enjoy being surrounded by people who are just as enthusiastic about reading as me. 

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

I am currently a tutor at The Writing Center! Also, I really enjoy being a member of ANZ and getting to connect with my peers in the English Department. I’ve also volunteered for the SBU Blood Drive. 

What is a class that you wish to take in the future?

Since I finished my major this semester, I’d really like to go into the art or history field. I feel like history and literature can really go hand-in-hand, and you can see how society has impacted literature. Even if it’s fiction, it still reflects our day-to-day life, or the lives of those from the given period. I’d love to research further how historical events change your perspective on the literature. For example, I love listening to history podcasts to make my own connections and analysis. When I read Frankenstein, I tried to find out all that I could about Mary Shelley and to understand how that influenced her story. 

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

One of the most interesting things I learned during my time as an English major was from Dr. Elyse Graham. She gave my class the advice that when writing, your audience does not care as much about the character as they do the relationships the characters have with one another. People can most relate to the connections they have with one another. 

What career path are you interested in after you graduate?

After I graduate, I am planning on pursuing my Master’s. I wish to work in higher education administration and/or be able to teach classes of my own. I think that’s something that I’m really excited to pair those hand-in-hand. 

What advice would you give to students who are interested in becoming an English major?

I would say don’t be intimidated. If you are happy with what you’re doing, then it gets easier. If you love reading, if you love writing, if you love analysis and research, I say just go for it. It’s incredibly fulfilling at the end of the day when you can look back on your work and feel proud about what you did and everything that you’ve learned. There are so many career paths that you can have with an English major; it’s so interdisciplinary! You can pursue history or even medical school, you can do whatever you dream of with English.