Staff profile: Program Associate Jody Fenlon

By Abigail Botsford

Some say there is a stereotype that English majors hate math, but Jody Fenlon is finding the logistics and numbers he works with in his new role for the Department of English to be a nice transition from his previous work in editing.

“This job is not something I would have seen myself doing, but still being connected to the greater English sphere is nice,” Fenlon says. “I worked more with the editing side of things before I came here. Now, I'm still focused a lot on quality control and finding out if information is right.”

Fenlon began working as the program associate for Florida State University’s English department at the end of July 2025. He has several responsibilities in the role: managing budgets; organizing faculty travel; working with scholarships, particularly for graduate students; and ensuring money and reimbursements are distributed the way that they should be.

Johanna Petty, business manager for the Department of English, says that during the hiring process, Fenlon expressed an eagerness to learn and grow.

“He was not deterred by the work that was required,” she adds, “but instead it seemed to energize him.”

Although Fenlon is new to FSU’s English department, he majored in English as an undergraduate student at Stetson University, where he completed a senior research project titled “Berserk’s Black Swordsman Arc: The Struggle for Hope.” Fenlon chose that as the topic of his project because he has always been interested in Japanese literature.

“I'm glad that I did. It was a lot. It was probably the hardest paper I ever wrote,” Fenlon says about the research project. “I liked really delving into the text and what people have to say about it because it's a big series.”

As he continues to settle into his role with the English department, Fenlon says that he is still interested in pursuing academic research because of how much he enjoyed the process at Stetson. Fenlon is interested in pursuing a master's degree and would like to specialize in literature, with the goal of becoming a professor one day.

With his FSU employment, the opportunity to earn an advanced degree is more attainable because of the State Employee Tuition Waiver. The waiver allows full-time FSU employees to take up to six hours of coursework per academic term at a significant discount.

“For a while, I thought that I was never going to be able to continue my education simply because of money,” Fenlon says. “But since I'm working here now, this is giving me the opportunity to continue that. It's that door that I never even knew could be open.”

Before beginning his role with the English department, Fenlon worked in editing for the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, a nonprofit in Tallahassee. He edited documents and materials for the organization, including government contracts.

Fenlon says that while searching for a job, he applied to many positions at FSU, but when he saw an opening in the English department, he thought, “That would be cool.”

Jody recognizes the importance of communication, which is allowing him to become effective in his new position very quickly. He holds a vital role in the English department.

— Johanna Petty, English department business manager

Looking toward the rest of the Fall 2025 semester, Fenlon says he is excited to grow into program associate position, explaining that he is still “very new to this.”

“I’m unsure about a few things, because that's what happens when you get a new job,” he says. “I'm hoping to cement myself in this role.”

Petty appreciates that Fenlon does not hesitate to ask questions when necessary.

“That is a strength that cannot be understated,” she says. “He recognizes the importance of communication, which is allowing him to become effective in his new position very quickly. He holds a vital role in the English department, and we are grateful to have him working with us.”

Growing up, Fenlon lived in Tallahassee on and off, and he has been settled here for the past three years. Outside of work, Fenlon enjoys volunteering with the local Humane Society and connecting with other organizations to help care for feral cats. He also feeds cats around FSU’s campus, in addition to spending time with the five cats he has as pets.

He also enjoys playing video games, but above all, Fenlon loves to bury himself in a good book.

“I love reading more than anything—reading has always been my passion,” he says.

While literature has always been what he enjoys, Fenlon is now learning to appreciate his newly discovered mathematical and analytical skills.

Abigail Botsford is a major in English-Editing, Writing, and Media, with a minor in communication.

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