English Alumni

Our Alumni: Where are they now?

Here are a few things that some of our other recent graduates are working on...

Lindsay Malootian, BA 2013

Doctoral Candidate, Texas Tech University

"I am an MCLA alumna (Class of 2013) and thoroughly enjoyed my experience as an English major. I also served as a Writing Associate at the college, which heavily inspired me to continue in higher education to pursue writing and literacy studies. I am now a doctoral candidate at Texas Tech University to earn my PhD in Language, Diversity, and Literacy Studies! In addition to working on my PhD, I also co-authored a chapter in the book "Purposeful Development of Professional Learning Processes." I attribute my strong foundations in literacy and education from my time at MCLA, that is for sure." 

Lianne Gallant, BA 2019 

M.A. in English and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Brandeis University
Adjunct Professor at Merrimack College

"What I most appreciated about the MCLA English Department was, without a doubt, the people. My professors challenged and encouraged me in new ways, whether it was presenting at a conference or experimenting with a new writing style. Most importantly, they genuinely cared about my wellbeing and always made time for me. I would not be where I am today without their unwavering support--mentorship that continues even now, three years post-graduation."

Deven Philbrick, BA 2016, Double major English/Communications & Philosophy, Literature and Writing concentrations. Massachusetts Commonwealth Scholar 2016

University of Seattle-Washington with an MFA in Prose Writing in 2018
PhD Candidate in English Language and Literature and University of Michigan

"My time in the English/Communications department at MCLA, in a cultural moment characterized by a relentless appetite for quantifiable valuation and consumability, provided me with an education that is precisely invaluable. The department instilled in me the virtues of rigorous close-reading, deep, humanistic reflection, and ceaseless care about language. The close attention I and my work received was integral to my achievements during and after my four years at MCLA. In times of increasing doubt, the scholarly and creative work I was able to do and the personal and academic relationships I was able to form have guided me well in my thinking and feeling about the world, and the learning of which I was part remains as one of the few constants in a frighteningly shifting moral landscape."

Diana J. Faulkner, BA 2017, Literature and Writing concentrations

Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) in an English classroom with the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. Diana is living and working in Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan

"I believe that the English/Communications department’s greatest strengths come from its interdisciplinary nature. More and more courses are blending creative assignments with analytic work, and courses such as these were some of the best I ever took at MCLA. I always felt a sort of epiphany whenever a skill or piece of subject matter that I learned in once class suddenly popped up in another, and these moments were surprisingly frequent. While there is much room for expansion, this department thrives on its ability to bring the different facets of the wide world of communications studies together."

Allison O'Keefe, BA 2020, Creative Writing concentration
Operations Administrator & Book Designer, Tupelo Press
"Since graduation in 2020, I have been working as an Operations Administrator & Book Designer at Tupelo Press, an independent literary press in North Adams which largely focuses on new and exciting poetry. There I have been able to get involved in all aspects of the publication process, from the internal & external designs of the books themselves, contracts, copyediting, publicity, reviews, and promotion. I am also heavily involved in marketing for Tupelo Press, including yearly fundraising/kickstarters, subscriptions, social media, and outreach to our authors. It has been amazing to get first-hand experience in an industry I love so much, all of which started with an internship I got as a junior at MCLA. I am most grateful for the faculty I met at MCLA, all of whom were thoughtful, experienced, and highly influential to me not only as a student, but also as an artist. The expanse of classes I took completely reshaped my idea of what writing and genre could be, and I worked with texts that I continue to read and reread to this day. My professors were knowledgeable and connected in the field, providing me opportunities for internships, extra-curriculars, and conference trips that gave me real-world experience and a life-long bond with my collaborators. I did not think of myself as a writer when I entered the English department as a freshman, but I left as one, with a profound appreciation for poetry, memoir, and essay, and an endless gratitude for all those who led me there."

Harmony M. Birch, BA 2016, Journalism concentration

Staff Writer, Brattleboro Reformer Newspaper

"Since graduating, I've learned how unique the department at MCLA is. Students at other schools think group discussion and analysis is novel. I don't think I had a single lecture based class. All of the classes in my department were based on doing, whether that be writing a short story, filming a live broadcast, interacting with a text, or putting out a weekly newspaper. However, we weren't just dropped into the ocean without learning how to swim. Like a patient parent teaching their child to ride a bike for the first time, I knew my professors wouldn't let go until I was ready. I knew that if I fell they'd be right there to help pick me back up."

Jonathan Hoel, BA 2017, Journalism concentration
MFA; Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College 
MA; Literary and Cultural Studies from Carnegie Mellon University 
Stalker (Constellations: studies in science fiction film and tv) with Liverpool University Press (2020)

"The English & Communications department at MCLA was where I became myself. I was surrounded by professors who encouraged my pursuits while challenging me to expand my horizons. I found lifelong friendships in fellow students who helped me grow and convinced me to get involved with Spires, the campus literary journal, and The Beacon school newspaper. It is a generous and exhilarating place. "

Ama B. Adwetewa-Badu, BA 2015, Writing concentration

Clark University, English M.A.(Completed 2017)
Cornell University, English Ph.D. (Current)

"As an English/Communications major, I was given the chance to create work that was both creative and critical. By this, I mean that while being asked to delve into literary texts with theory and analysis, I also took classes where I got to write poems, science-fiction short stories, and write papers that excited me and nourished my intellectual curiosities. Rather than being given topics to write on, I was always able to research and write on a topic that truly interested me. My time in the English/Communications department allowed me to grow as an intellectual and as a poet. As a writing concentration, I took literature  and poetry classes. This combination allowed me to learn how to write well and read critically. Being able to study literature and write creatively was a personal highlight during my time at MCLA."