Manola checked in with us last week as she was making plans for graduating next month. In an email, she described her experiences in the English Department and beyond.
“I’ve loved SPU’s English major for expanding my understanding of and experiences with literature,” Manola said. “My favorite classes, like The Sentence, The Essay, and Latinx Literature, were those that introduced me to authors I might not have otherwise encountered. I love digging into details, and classes like these also allowed me to explore what classes with broader themes may have only skimmed.”
Last summer, Manola talked her way into a paying internship at the environmentalist media outlet Grist. “I’m majoring in both English Creative Writing and Communications Journalism,” Manola explained, “so writing for Grist allowed me to fulfill a lot of the personal aspirations that fueled my desire to complete both majors.
“Grist focuses specifically on covering issues of environmental justice and, as a contributor to their newsletter, I had the chance to search for stories related to that theme on a daily basis. I also had the chance to work with writers I admire, so having them as mentors helped my own writing develop quickly. It’s an experience I’m so grateful to have had, especially as it was one that allowed me to help others through the writing of stories, and it’s inspired me to pursue stories related to environmental justice in the future.”
What’s next for Manola? “I’m aiming for a journalism-related fellowship at the moment, but generally, I’m freelancing and pursuing a career in online journalism. On the side, I’m hoping to start submitting short stories to contests or publications. So, basically, I’m excited to be doing a lot of writing for the foreseeable future.”
Thanks for letting the department know what you’ve been up to, Manola, and see you at Ivy Cutting!