Why Study English?
Because English is a major of infinite possibilities. Whether you want to polish your creative writing, develop your content knowledge as a future educator, hone your professional writing skills, read widely and well, understand the experiences of those whose lives differ from your own, or share your message with the world, we can help. In our English department, you can study Shakespeare and video games, Latinx rhetorics and picture books, the origins of the English language and the origins of the latest slang. You can dive deeply into rhetoric and composition, literary and cultural studies, creative writing, rhetoric and composition, and linguistics or try a sampling of all of the above. We'll teach you not just to answer questions, but also to ask new ones you've never thought of before.
Why Study English at Eastern?
The Eastern English department is a vibrant and creative community that brings together students and faculty inside the classroom and out to support one another as writers, thinkers, and individuals. Whether we're practicing applying critical theories in class or enjoying one another's company at the annual Sigma Tau Delta ice cream social, we're united by a shared love of language and literature. That's not to say we're all the same: we're poets and rhetoricians, literary historians and linguists, composition theorists and film buffs. And that's why you should study English at Eastern: because you'll get an introduction to the wide range of disciplines that make up English studies and the opportunity to discover and develop the interests and passions that mean the most of you. Thanks to our small class sizes, we can offer you a powerful combination of support and rigor: we'll ask a lot of you but walk alongside you to help you get there.
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Salary Potential
Median salary, Technical Writer
Median salary, Publication Editor
* U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Hands-on Learning
Research and Creative Activity
Through venues including the Summer Research Institute, the Creative Writing Club, and independent capstone experiences, English majors have a variety of opportunities to develop publication- and presentation-worthy writing. They have published their work in Eastern Exposure, Eastern’s literary magazine, and other literary publications. Others have published scholarly articles in venues including Metamorphosis, a national research journal for students. Routinely, English majors present their work at our on-campus research conference, CREATE, as well as at regional and national venues.
Internships
A variety of internship experiences are also available through the English Department, as writing tutors, teaching assistants, research assistants, newsletter editors and social media content developers. Some creative writers complete internships doing editorial work on Here, a literary journal published here at Eastern. Other students have secured internship opportunities at local sites, including the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center.
Study Abroad
Each summer, fiction writers convene in Florence, Italy, for a month for a three-credit creative writing workshop in one of Europe’s most iconic cities.
Faculty Spotlight
Christopher Torockio
Professor
“My favorite teaching moments are when a student who came to class having no idea that they liked to write discovers their voice and realizes that they have a passion for writing.”
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Allison Speicher
Professor
“As a liberal arts true believer, a trained teacher and a first-generation college graduate, I knew Eastern’s students were the students I was meant to be teaching.”
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Career Options
Students who pursue undergraduate degrees in English have rewarding and successful careers in a variety of professional fields. Our alumni work in fields including:
- Advertising
- Editing and publishing
- Library science
- Business, Technical, and Creative Writing
- Corporate Research
- Teaching and Tutoring
- Sales
- Banking
- Law
- Grant Development
- Journalism
- Public Relations
- Web Content Development
- Human Resources
- Higher Education Student Affairs
Successful Alumni
Recent Eastern students who earned a bachelor’s degree have gone on to pursue MA, Ph.D., MAT, or MFAs at the following universities:
- Purdue University
- University of Florida
- Tufts University
- University of Massachusetts-Amherst
- University of South Florida
- Arizona State University
- University of St. Joseph
- Central Connecticut State University
- Simmons University
- Drew University
- New York University
In the News
'Tortured Poets' of Eastern featured in literary journal
October 02, 2024
In recognition of Taylor Swift’s latest album "The Tortured Poets Department," we asked several students who are featured in the latest edition of "Eastern Exposure" about their work, their muses and what makes them “tortured poets." Three members of the Creative Writing Club revealed that they used their writing as outlets for their personal rhetoric and retrospective.
Italy inspires students on creative writing trip abroad
August 14, 2024
This summer, 21 English students spent six weeks in Florence, Italy, to hone their creative writing skills. The annual trip was part of English Professor Christopher Torockio’s creative writing abroad course.
Raouf Mama creates teaching award in his native Benin
July 11, 2024
Distinguished English Professor Raouf Mama of Eastern Connecticut State University has founded an award recognizing excellence in English teaching in his native country of Benin. The Penrose Best Teacher of the Year Award was presented at a ceremony at the University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin on Dec. 28, 2023.
Alumni Testimonials
Teacher
Alyssa Zebrowski ’15
Early Childhood Education and English double-major Alyssa Zebrowski recently earned a master’s degree in bilingual/multicultural education and now works with young English language learners in Stamford. “Eastern’s early childhood education program fully prepared me to be a classroom teacher right out of college. The unique research experiences I had as an undergraduate have given me an alternative perspective to teaching that I use each day.”
English and Theatre
Matthew Bessette ’19
After receiving teacher certification through Eastern’s master’s program in Education, Matthew is now working as an 8th-grade teacher in Carmen Arace Middle School. “The theatre program has played a critical role in the development of my self-discipline and leadership abilities. Dedicating time and energy to participating in college productions takes a lot out of you, but it teaches you to think critically and adapt to a given situation.”
English
Victoria Randazzo ’18
After graduating with a master’s degree in special education in May 2019, Victoria is now a special education teacher in East Hartford Public Schools. “I attribute most of my success to Eastern. When I was assigned daunting projects or tests during my graduate program, I was able to use many of the skills I gained at Eastern and apply them easily.”
Communications Specialist
Jordan Corey ’19
Jordan was an intern in the English Department, specializing in social media. “My favorite part about the internship was becoming an engaged member of the English community. I entered my freshman year as an English major and have never doubted that it’s the right field for me, largely because of the wonderful professors and my peers on campus.”
English
Kaylee Blackwood ’21
Winner of the Celia Catlett Prize for her senior English capstone project, Kaylee is now editor at Biolumina, a full-service, omnichannel global healthcare agency. Kaylee’s winning capstone project was the novel, “Once We Meet,” characterized by her professor as “a second-person perspective that is nothing short of masterful. Once of the best novels I’ve read in a long time, period.”
English
Marcus Grant ’24
Marcus will be attending Tufts University’s English Literature Ph.D. program. He will teach writing and literature courses while working on his dissertation. “My mentors in the English Department were helpful in recommending conferences where I could learn to present information clearly and concisely. They were also very supportive during the application process, helping me comb through my resume to give me the best chance possible of getting in.”
English and Sociology
Patrice Eugene ’20
Patrice interned at the Chicago-Kent College of Law School in summer 2018. His role included working alongside judges and lawyers at government law firms while attending law classes. Eugene majors in English and sociology “Internships are great opportunities to act immediately on your passion, interest and curiosity.” Earning his M.A. at Columbia University in 2022, Patrice is now a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Pennsylvania.
Best Buddies
Natalie Devlin ’22
A Barnard Scholar, Natalie served as a tour guide, a teaching assistant and a
writing tutor on campus. A member of the Best Buddies Club, Natalie says, “I will advocate unconditionally for those who are unable to voice their beliefs. As an aspiring English teacher, I understand the necessity of recognizing that all students and members of a community are ‘a little bit different, a lot the same.’”
English
Lilia Burdo ’24
Lilia’s poetry book, “Yin Ri Bei,” was inspired by her life growing up as an adoptee from China. “I noticed while writing my senior capstone project that there is a lack of poetry collections by Chinese Americans focusing on the adoptee identity. My chapbook works to fill this literary gap, as well as provide comfort and a sense of understanding to those that identify similarly.”
School Counselor
Darianne Mastricola ’17
English major Darianne Mastricola received her master’s degree in school counseling at Montclair State University and works as a school counselor at Shrewsbury Borough School in New Jersey.
Communications Specialist
Kate Harner ’12
Kate Harner earned her master’s degree at Clemson and is prospect marketing manager at Betterworks. “Getting a liberal arts education at Eastern helped me appreciate different disciplines. I can write knowledgeably about a wide range of topics, and that skill comes in handy when I’m writing about new calculus courseware or researching study habits of effective learners for a blog post.”
English and Economics
Andrew Minikowski ’12
English and Economics double-major Andrew Minikowski is staff counsel at the Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel. “My studies as an English major honed my ability write critically and persuasively, which is the cardinal skill of an effective lawyer. Furthermore, my English studies taught me to probe my own ideas for analytical flaws and synthesize diverse viewpoints and facts into a coherent whole.”
