I met with Marina Goldman, a junior English major and the current Editor in Chief of Jabberwocky. She told me a bit about what Jabberwocky is, and what her goals for the publication are during her time as Editor. View Marina's LinkedIn profile to learn more or to connect with her.
How do you see your position as Editor in Chief of Jabberwocky helping you after you graduate?
All of the responsibilities that I tackle as the editor are helping me immensely in ways I may not have considered before. I’m learning about diplomacy and effective professional communication while I reach out to professors in other departments to try and promote the journal. I’m also learning all about the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and creative problem-solving.
How do you balance your responsibilities for Jabberwocky with your academics?
I designate a few days each week just for outreach and student communications to try and reach my goals of expanding the journal’s reach. It’s a fun break between classes; with every email I send I feel like I’m reaching that many more students who may not have otherwise heard about the journal.
What has been your favorite English class so far?
African American Literature with Dr. Worthy – without a doubt. It was the best introduction to intersectional feminism that I’ve ever had. I loved the readings, I loved the lectures and I loved the discussions. I found all the perspectives really valuable, it kickstarted a new way of critical thinking for me. Dr. Worthy gave us the opportunity to explore and investigate questions and topics that were interesting to us; I was never bored in that class.
I wish I had more beautiful things to say to do justice to how incredibly enlightening this class is.
What do you want to do with your English degree?
So this is an excellent question, my answer has changed a lot, especially with Jabberwocky. To be honest, I never anticipated going into publishing when I first applied to Jabberwocky. I actually wanted to pursue marketing which, to me, boils down to knowing how to make people want what you want them to want: knowing what to say, how to say it, and what you want people to do and feel. Sounds like English and psychology, doesn’t it? The more time goes by, though, the more items I’m adding to my list of future jobs…social media marketing, publication, satirical journalism, editing. My dream English degree job, which I’ll have to work my way up to, is being a novelist. So long story long, I want to do a LOT with my English degree.
Do you have any additional majors or minors? If so, why did you choose them?
I am minoring in psychology. I thought, what better way to incorporate the depth and breadth of the human experience into my own writing than to talk about human behavior, attitudes, and emotions? I like how this includes both hard science and philosophical components. I also notice a lot of crossover between English and psych classes, which makes studying each of them that much more interesting. I’m able to apply cognitive-behavioral, sociocultural, and even biological perspectives to topics that I encounter in my English classes; it makes classes much richer. I’m also starting a business minor.
Besides Jabberwocky, are you involved with any extracurriculars at UMass?
I go to pick-up volleyball nights at the rec center, and I also attend a weekly creative writing workshop with a few English major friends. After reading so many other authors’ works, it’s fun to be able to hone my own writing style and voice. Not to mention hearing other workshop members’ input motivates me to write more, and it helps me tweak and perfect my craft.
Are there any on campus resources that you’ve found to be particularly helpful?
I would live at the Writing Center if I could. Writing is hard, no matter what level of writing you’re at. It’s great if you know exactly what you want to write but don’t know how, and it’s great if you have no idea what you want to write and need someone to kickstart the process. I’ve always left there feeling more confident in what I’m writing, and in my ability to write in general. I think everybody should go to the Writing Center at least once.
What’s your favorite thing about being an English major?
As an English major, you get to do a little bit of everything. You get an amazing depth and breadth of study. You can talk about the technical aspects of writing, the philosophical aspects, the social justice aspects, or you can learn how to apply literature to business. There’s a world of opportunity for what English majors can do. An English degree can be valuable for any field you want to go into, and I know I will have so many options when I try to find a job. That’s why I love being an English major.
Who is your favorite author?
Oh...I love Toni Morrison and I love Oscar Wilde. I’m not going to choose between them because that would be an insult to them, I love them both.
Interview by Sarah Mulcahy, Digital Communication Intern