News | Alumni Archives
Alumna spotlight: Janecia Britt: Britt is currently assistant director of communications for the Alumni Association, and she is also the editor in chief for Vires, the association’s official publication.
Alumnus spotlight: Ryan Benk: Benk graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English literature in 2014, and he is a producer of NPR’s “Morning Edition,” bringing NPR news to 60 million people.
Alumnus spotlight: Jeremy Willis: Willis parlayed his degrees in English and in Sports Management and secured a job many students would consider a dream: senior trending editor for ESPN, the “Worldwide Leader in Sports."
Local attorney Neil St. John Rambana found his confidence as English student: Rambana is senior partner at Rambana & Ricci, PLLC Immigration Attorneys in Tallahassee. His career earned him distinction as a 2021 Grad Made Good.
Savannah Tindall Found her future path at fsu: Tindall devoted time and energy to the English department and other campus organizations to gain extensive experience beyond the classroom. She began a new adventure in Fall 2021 as a graduate student at Boston University.
Hannah Messinger pursues "a worthy and wonderful career": Messinger graduated from FSU in 2018 with a focus on literature. She says the lessons she learned as an undergraduate have been instrumental in her post-graduate internships and return to school for a master's degree in teaching..
Lauren Gordon took advice for college to the limit: Gordon had numerous leadership roles and other organizational involvement on FSU’s campus, including her positions as president of the Society for Collegiate Journalists, and she continues to have student, alumni, and staff connections.
Jaelynn Hart stays true to her writing: Hart's Of Thrones and Thieves, a fantasy adventure book that speaks to both the LGBT+ community and young women who long to see strong female representation in literature is set to be published in August 2021.
Michelle Presley educates FSU's campus about sustainability: The skills she learned in her undergraduate years as an English major prepared her promoting environmental sustainability.
Dorian Paul Rogers brought his creative talents to Abu Dhabi: Rogers currently teaches English in the United Arab Emirates capital and runs a series of open mic nights and poetry slams called Rooftop Rhythms.
Raven Halle trusted their intuition to be more creative: Lessons learned in an Introduction to Poetry course led to a love of poetry and community and a future of embracing the craft.
Andrea Loaiza brings simple photographs to life through her artistic vision: She studied on the editing, writing, and media track, where she learned that her writing style had a storytelling side as well.
Marisa Anderson achieves success in law school; her next career step is to join the JAG Corps: She bypassed being a journalist so she could attend law school. Her next challenge is becoming a U.S. Army Judge Advocate General.
Jade and Jordan Heise look back on their experiences with FSU English department: Jade and Jordan, twin sisters, graduated in the fall of 2020 with their English degrees in the Literature, Media, and Culture Program. They both started out at FSU with plans to pursue degrees related to science, but classes with English doctoral students caused them to switch majors.
Kim MacQueen reconnects with her past and wants to give friends an outlet to share stories: Working with colleagues from her time working at the Florida Flambeau, Kim MacQueen is guiding the effort to "capture the spirit" of working for the independent newspaper.
Hannah Kealy's work to co-found Strike has inspired chapters at 11 other schools: Before Hannah Kealy graduated from FSU in May 2018, the student-run campus magazine she co-founded, Strike, was being regularly published. She currently assists with the launching process of Strike chapters at other campuses.
Paul Shields uses his fascination with theater and performance to inspire his teaching and directing: Paul Shields, who earned his doctorate from FSU in 2005, reflects back on his years of studying with Professor Stan Gontarski and learning more about Samuel Beckett.
Garnet & Gold Scholar Society members reflect back on undergraduate English studies: Melanie Flores and Ashley Falzoi relied on their English department courses and research work to find a place in one of FSU's academic organizations.
This is your chicken: CJ Hauser owns Late Night: Hauser appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers, and she wowed the host and viewers with her stories about her writing as well as how she inspires her students to find time to write.
The travels of Kelly Hall, from the highs of academia at FSU to the bottom of the world: Hall has seen the world from multiple perspectives, and now she is encouraging undergraduate students to follow a similar path.
Amy Cicchino enjoys teaching beyond the typical curriculum, and her students benefit the most: Cicchino taught her students the skills they need to succeed beyond the classroom, and they, in turn, helped sharpen her focus on collaboration and problem-solving.
English Department alumnus Barry Jenkins brings If Beale Street Could Talk to the screen: The award-winning director is creating a buzz about winning more Oscars. The positive energy surrounding Jenkins’ new film If Beale Street Could Talk, in turn, is generating renewed appreciation for the FSU alumnus, especially in the English department.
Kristian Denny is guest at Honors, Scholars, and Fellows speaker series: Denny is seasoned crisis management professional who has worked in the field for nearly 30 years, focusing primarily on politics at the national and state levels. She graduated from FSU in 1992.
Jenna Kelley shows Georgia viewers that telling good stories can make a difference: Kelley graduated from FSU in 2018 with an English degree, and her work as an on-air reporter at WJBF in Augusta, Georgia, recently earned her a 2020 GABBY for Best Online Produced Story.
John Wang reflects on time at FSU, the origins of Juked and his current work: Now a professor of English at Montgomery College in Maryland, Wang talks about the inspiration behind starting Juked 20-plus years ago. in addition to how he handles writing, teaching, and family responsibilities.
Emma Moody makes the transition from undergraduate to graduate studies at FSU: Moody graduated in Spring 2020 with dual majors in English-Editing, Writing, and Media and media communication studies. She is currently enrolled in FSU's Integrated Marketing Communications Program.
Kaveh Akbar named poetry editor for The Nation: Akbar earned his doctorate in English-Creative Writing in 2018. He began his tenure as poetry editor for The Nation on Sept. 1.
Kendall McDonald achieved rare heights as a 2020 Outstanding Senior Scholar : She earned the distinction by completing the University Honors program, earning Honors in the Major by completing and defending an independent thesis project, and finishing her college career with a 4.0 GPA.
Toni Galeassi reflects on her time at FSU: Once Galeassi switched her major from biochemistry to English, she took advantage of the department's array of resources, including courses, internships, and career networking.
Brooks Lockett foregoes the 9-to-5 grind for a more flexible way to employ his writing skills : Working in a corporate environment was not his dream job, so Brooks jumped into the world of freelance writing.
A Q&A with Logan Bearden, FSU graduate times three: Bearden earned his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees at the university, moving through literature and rhetoric and composition for his studies.
Nicole Tripodis relied on self-determination and her studies in English to start a career in NYC: The English major and art history minor used her go-getter attitude to break into the fashion media industry.
One simple email steered Felicity Warner on a path from campus writer to national editor: She graduated from FSU in the spring of 2018, and was soon hired as assistant editor for the Her Campus national headquarters in Boston. In August of 2019, Her Campus promoted Warner to associate feature editor.
Gail Levy focuses her reporting lens on the Panhandle's personal stories and community spirit: She covered the catastrophic aftermath of Hurricane Michael, and now Levy and her WJHG-WECP colleagues are navigating the reporting environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chloe Addleson takes a leap to the big city and lands on her feet at Mediaplanet in New York: She graduated from FSU in August 2019 and began working at the NYC-based agency in September 2019. She is a senior publisher for the company.
Lauren Olster: editing, writing, media, and comedy: Olster credits her studies at FSU for giving her the foundation to craft her comedy career.
Anne Meisenzahl confronts spirituality and self in her novel, Long Time Gone: While continuing her work in the community educating formerly incarcerated and underprivileged adults, she earned her Master of Fine Arts in 2009, an experience that English faculty members made "really special" for Meisenzahl.
Student of the 2000s made a name for herself, writing poetry with a relic from the 1950s: As a student in FSU's English department, Jacqueline Suskin stood out, writing poetry inspired by an unusual source.
A multi-media effort adapts Mikaela Bender's novel Expiration Date for the digital world: SyFy Network, Wattpad, and Tongal select Bender's science-fiction thriller to receive a story-to-screen production.
Janelle Jennings-Alexander wins Early Career Educator of Color Leadership Award: Jennings-Alexander considers her teaching as a natural extension of her scholarship. Alexander, who earned her doctorate in the English department, felt profoundly honored when she recently found out she is a winner of a prestigious educator award.
Kat Candler turns childhood stories into filmmaking reality: Independent filmmaker Kat Candler’s enthusiasm for movies, along with the help of film students during her first year in college, led her to the world of filmmaking.
Step by step: Christina Parodi follows her planned path to the top: Parodi had what could be called by any description an exhaustive college experience: a first-year semester studying abroad; an internship teaching English in Peru; another internship with FSU’s International Rescue.
Kaveh Akbar returns to FSU for a poetry reading and as panelist for social justice symposium: As the collection of poetry and literature stacked on Akbar’s desk grows, so does his mind. He regularly has conversations between his own voice and with the writers of the countless books he keeps nearby.
Yolanda Franklin’s Blood Vinyls now available for pre-order: Born and raised in Tallahassee, Franklin earned both her undergraduate degree and a doctorate in English from FSU.
Deborah Solomon awarded 2015 National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship: Solomon, who in May 2015 earned her doctorate degree in English literature, has been awarded a 2015 National Endowment for the Humanities year-long fellowship.
Adam Johnson wins National Book Award for Fortune Smiles: Johnson adds a National Book Award to his list of literary accolades, which include a Pulitzer Prize.