Continuing with our focus upon graduate English alumni pursuing exciting alt-ac careers, we are very happy to post this interview with Alex Abrams (M.A. ’15). When we corresponded with Alex earlier this year, he updated us on his most recent position as Communications and Marketing Specialist with the School of Nursing at UNC Greensboro. In addition, Alex provided some information about his own path to a successful non-teaching career as well as his recommendation for some good reading – a true-crime book that focuses, in part, on the author Harper Lee. 

As we head into the middle of the Fall term, we catch up with Jackson Ayres (Ph.D. ’13) at Texas A&M University–San Antonio. Jack updates us on his recent trip to London to present at a conference on George Orwell and on Jack’s participation in the reorganization of his academic department. He also offers advice to our current graduate students on how to prepare for the job market, and he gives some enticing book and film recommendations, as well as an endorsement for an online “forum for thinkers in the humanities and social sciences to put their work toward addressing big questions.”

As we start the Fall 2019 semester, we check in with Paige Hermansen (Ph.D. ’16), an Assistant Professor of English at Westfield State University. In this interview, Paige updates us on some of her professional highlights for the past year, offers advice to English graduate students who are going on the academic job market, and recommends a must-hear podcast.

Check out our interview with Josh Jackson (M.A. ’15) and Megan Vallowe (Ph.D. ’17), both current Georgia residents. They discuss the benefits of taking time off after getting one’s M.A.; supplemental funding opportunities to enhance graduate student research; favorite assignments and courses; and most valuable non-teaching experiences.