Student Profiles

Meet some of our current and recent students on our programmes:


Marit Mathisen MLitt in Publishing Studies 2014-2015

October 10th, 2014 by Marit Mathisen | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Marit Mathisen MLitt in Publishing Studies 2014-2015
Tags: , ,

Profile Photo

I did my undergraduate dissertation on reader interaction with the author in the 21st century, with Claire Squires as my supervisor, and was very happy with how talented the people on this course are. I also found that I have a passion for this business, and the changes that are happening in publishing really interest me, and I am excited to see where the business is going.

So far I have some experience with proofreading translations from English as well as pure Norwegian texts (did I mention I’m from Norway?) with Krog Linguistic Solutions (website is in Norwegian).

In the future I hope to be able to work for a Norwegian or a British publisher, but I am hoping to figure out more specifically what I am good at so as to know what I can do for a publisher. As I have a love of languages I would not mind something in ELT, especially for the Japanese market, and seeing where that is headed with all the tools available now will be very interesting.

This is an interesting course to be a part of, and an exiting time to be part of it.

Meet some of our current and recent students on our programmes:


Sarah Boyd MLitt in Publishing Studies 2013-15

October 8th, 2014 by Sarah Boyd | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Sarah Boyd MLitt in Publishing Studies 2013-15
Tags: , , , , ,

Profile 3I love books. But then, everyone who does this course says that, so let’s get a little more detailed. I’ve been a student of literature, with an MA in English Literature and an MLitt in Shakespeare Studies, both from theUniversity of St Andrews. I’ve also been a writer, with a Diploma in Creative Writing from the Open University. Can you sense a theme yet? I don’t just love books, and writing, I love studying books and writing! From both of these experiences, two things became obvious: 1) I get mad at any use of the phrase ‘very unique’ and 2) I am good at analysing texts and helping writers to recognise their strengths and weaknesses. So, having tried my hand at being a scholar and being a writer, I came to the decision that I could be a good and useful publisher and promptly applied to this course to learn how.

I’ve been part-time at the Centre for a year now, so I’ve completed around half of the course and so far I think coming here is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve learned fascinating things about the publishing industry, I’ve met and listened to interesting, passionate publishers and I’ve managed to get some work experience, as a reader for Sandstone Press and for the most recent issue of One Throne Magazine, a new literary magazine. I’m also now assisting in developing a house style sheet for Sandstone, which is a really interesting and exciting opportunity. Finally, I’ve been lucky enough to have an article on Scottish Publishing and Independence published in the journal Logos. It’s been a really good year, here’s to the next one!

Find me on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Meet some of our current and recent students on our programmes:


Laurie Swinburne, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2014-15

October 7th, 2014 by Laurie Swinburne | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Laurie Swinburne, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2014-15

prof2I did a lot of research into masters programmes in the run up to my graduation from Stirling University English Studies, and after interning at two publishing houses, Ringwood and Fledgling Press, I decided that a publishing masters was the way forward. Despite having a slight love/hate relationship with Stirling town (why so few pubs, Stirling?) the university had been my home for four years and, with it housing a publishing course that both my bosses had raved about, it seemed like the obvious choice. So, I compromised, moved to Glasgow and enrolled.

While I am interested in publishing, I find myself gravitating closer and closer towards a career in marketing and PR, and I’m hoping that in studying this course, I will graduate with the business and marketing acumen to work in marketing, possibly outwith the publishing sector. I’m very interested in the inner workings of newspapers and magazines, and have been lucky enough to intern at The Scottish Sun, write for The News of the World and for several music fanzines and blogs. I’ve also interned at Maximise Sport, a small sports PR firm in Glasgow.

Currently, I work as a bridal consultant in Glasgow and spend my weekends hoiking dresses on and off girls in the basement of my store, which sounds pretty sinister when it’s written down like that. I’ve spent my summer attempting to fix their marketing campaign and, although we have a long way to go yet, I’m pretty proud of the new online presence we’ve managed to create so far. I’m really interested in the wedding industry as a whole, particularly in wedding and bridal journalism, and I would suppose my main goal is to get into bridal publications, possibly working in marketing or journalism.

Of course, I’m 22 so there’s a high chance that will change.

Follow my ramblings and retweets at @LaurieEtLivres
Feel free to connect on LinkedIn too

Meet some of our current and recent students on our programmes:


Kiley Pole, MLitt Publishing Studies 2014-2015

October 7th, 2014 by Kiley Pole | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Kiley Pole, MLitt Publishing Studies 2014-2015
Tags: , , , , ,

10690336_10154601180970510_4246123074955421661_nWriting about oneself is always difficult, especially when coupled with the idea of having to post it on the internet. There are too many considerations, especially for someone like myself who does not enjoy the spotlight. I suppose I should just “lay it out there” and go forward from that point.

I was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. To be more specific I’m from London Ontario Canada which just confuses a lot of people because of the really famous London in the UK. Here at least I can clarify. I did my undergraduate studies at Western University in London Ontario. There I studied French Literature and Spanish Linguistics.

How did I get here? I studied in France for a year of my undergraduate degree and while I was there I made the trip to Scotland. In all of my travels, I have never felt so at home as I do in Scotland. When the opportunity to study here, at Stirling University, came about through the MLitt in Publishing Studies I could not say no. It was a long, hard journey (both literally and metaphorically, I have the worst luck with traveling) to get here and thus far it has been worth it.

To say that I love books would be redundant, if I didn’t love them in some or in my case, every capacity I would not be here. What I am hoping is that through this programme of study I will be able to expand that love to all aspects of book publishing.

Meet some of our current and recent students on our programmes:


Jennifer Hamrick, MLitt Publishing Studies 2014-2015

October 3rd, 2014 by Jennifer Katherine Hamrick | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Jennifer Hamrick, MLitt Publishing Studies 2014-2015
Tags:

Jennifer Hamrick“Of all the things which man can do or make here below, by far the most momentous, wonderful, and worthy are the things we call books.” – Thomas Carlyle

Howdy! My name is Jenny Hamrick and this is my first year as a postgraduate student. I recently graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor’s degree in English literature and a minor degree in rhetoric and writing. Although I was born, raised, and educated in Texas, I have always held a certain fascination with Scotland. I studied abroad in Edinburgh two years ago and fell absolutely in love with this beautiful country and amazing people, which led me to come back again to study publishing at Stirling.

As both an avid reader by nature as well as a former student of English literature, I will always believe that books are the greatest treasures we can possibly possess. A few bound pages can contain entire worlds full of fascinating characters, dramas, villainous plots, fantastical creatures, and personal dilemmas. The printed words of a single author can reflect a society, an era, or even the hard-to-comprehend workings of the human soul. It is for these reasons I became interested in publishing- in the ways both individuals and companies make novels (and other textual content) available to readers. I want to be part of the process that molds the words of an author into a quality product that has the power to potentially transform the life of a reader.

I am excited to begin my studies and look forward in particular to learning more about editing in which I get to work with the text directly. This is going to be a great year!

Meet some of our current and recent students on our programmes:


Alec Spencer, MRes 2014-16 (part-time)

September 25th, 2014 by Alec Spencer | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Alec Spencer, MRes 2014-16 (part-time)
Tags: , , , ,

Alec SpencerWhen I told my daughter I was about to embark on the MRes course, I commented that perhaps I was getting a bit too old to take on further study. She replied, as she always has done, in a supportive way reminding me of the quotation by Mahatma Gandhi “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever”.  So here I am – at the start of a 27 month programme.

For those who know me they might think it a little strange to choose Publishing Studies as an interest. A life-time’s involvement with Prisons, Criminal Justice and Criminology has set me on a different path and I continue to be involved in a number of criminal justice areas – The Scottish Consortium for Crime and Criminal Justice (SCCCJ) and its thriving new e-publication under the management of Mary Munro ‘Scottish Justice Matters’; my commitment as an Honorary Professor at the School of Applied Social Science here at Stirling, and my work as a trustee of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation. Incidentally, through my work as a Public Appointments Adviser for the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland, I have a fascinating insight into the demands and complexities of running Public Bodies in Scotland.

So where does my interest in publishing come from?  Apart from indexing a law book in my post-grad student days (first time round!), and authoring a book on sex offenders published by Jessica Kingsley, I have had little truck with the publishing industry … or so I supposed.

One hobby I did have, perhaps some would call it an obsession, was to collect Penguin books. I have done so since the late 1970’s and by the 1990’s had about 2,500 first editions (or Penguin first impressions) on shelves, but on moving house found their way into boxes. What to do with them? A conundrum. Keep or sell?  In the end, and somewhat reluctantly, I decided to sell. Selling on eBay involves photographing the books, and eventually I had swapped about half my books for a virtual collection – of images. It took a little imagination on my part, and some techy help from my son, to set up a web-site www.penguinfirsteditions.com which now boasts over 6,200 entries and over 5,600 images. This ‘story’ can be found at the tab ‘About us’. Penguins have used wonderful designers to enhance their book covers – and the covers themselves are a separate area of interest and research.

Of course, ‘Penguin Books’, and Allen Lane its founder, is a marvellous exemplar of innovation and a revolution in publishing, which also was reflected in the process of social and educational change. These little paperback books are iconic and collectable. My interest has become a little less physical – I don’t need to own the books – and more reflective about why it is that individuals collect Penguin books, and not just specific genre or series – but sometimes the whole publishing house!  I started with this exploration in May 2014, when I visited Angus Mitchell, (interview) who donated his collection to Stirling University Library and I am looking forward to continuing on the journey of discovery about publishing and Penguin book collecting.

twitter2   LinkedIn2-jw

 

Meet some of our current and recent students on our programmes:


Carolyn Khamete Mango, MRes Publishing Studies 2014-2015

May 14th, 2014 by Carolyn Khamete Mango | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Carolyn Khamete Mango, MRes Publishing Studies 2014-2015
Tags: , , ,

247009_10151418690816662_1156767516_nMy name is Carolyn Khamete Mango from Nairobi, Kenya, famed for cross country athletics and one of   the wonders of the world, The Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Over the years I have helped people write by virtue of my vast experience as an editor. However, I did not think I would get a challenge in writing about myself! Nevertheless, here I am.

I am at the University of Stirling undertaking a MRes in Publishing Studies, having won the esteemed and competitive Commonwealth Scholarship. This is my second scholarship. My first was awarded to me by the Government of Kenya to study a Bachelors Degree in Educational Studies at this same university.

I joined publishing from teaching because I wanted to be more involved in curriculum interpretation and preparation of quality teaching materials.

Back in Kenya I work as a Chief Editor in charge of humanities. I am also a gender officer, a post I was appointed in line with global and local legal frameworks in empowering women and promoting gender equality in all sectors of the economy. Multitasking in two departments (editorial and human resources) required that I  enhance my management skills. Therefore,  I studied a Higher Diploma in Human Resources Management.

Choosing the University of Stirling to study publishing was exciting because it was like going back home having studying for my undergraduate here. I also wanted to experience the vibrant Scottish and to a large extent the British publishing scene. I hope to fortify my experience and knowledge in book publishing and in management issues of book publishing firms. I am interested in joining the few female decision-makers in the publishing industry.

I am an accomplished Gospel artist having collaborated with other musicians back in Kenya to record music. Prior to coming to Scotland I had released my debut album called, My Healer. Recently I have felt this nudge to be a writer so I hope that by the end of my programme, I will have a clear direction on where to start. I might just write about my journey with breast cancer and how I came out of it victoriously.

 

Meet some of our current and recent students on our programmes:


Keisha Ann Stewart, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2013-2014

December 13th, 2013 by Keisha Ann Stewart | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Keisha Ann Stewart, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2013-2014

Prior to this course, I’ve worked as an international educator and examiner. Some of the countries I have taught in include the Bahamas, Bahrain, UK and USA. I enjoyed my international career and would love to continue working on the global front after I have completed my MLitt in Publishing Studies.

I am interested in working with electronic, educational, fiction and non-fiction texts. I also enjoy writing, and hope to, one day, compose a graphic novel or a modern day fairy tale. Engaging with many different literary styles is one of my favourite pastimes so this makes my publishing interests quite varied. My interest range is reflected through the types of books I’ve either edited or proofread – namely:  a motivational text, a book of poetry, an apocalyptic novel and a health book based on home remedies.

Throughout my publishing career, I aim to combine my background in Applied Linguistics, Literature, Education and Philosophy with the changing face of the industry. After acquiring sufficient experience, I intend to start a magazine company that will focus on innovative ideas and movements that would benefit residents in a developing nation.

 

Meet some of our current and recent students on our programmes:


Aija Oksman, MLitt Publishing Studies 2012-2014 (PT)

November 26th, 2013 by Aija | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Aija Oksman, MLitt Publishing Studies 2012-2014 (PT)
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

My interest in publishing stems from being read to when I was a child, growing up in very literary oriented surrounding and having done my undergraduate in Literature and Linguistics at the University of Salzburg. My time in Edinburgh is split between the MLitt Studies, my two jobs and volunteering for Rock Trust. I enjoy being busy, I enjoy putting my gathered skills in actual use and I look forward to be part of publishing world.

I have lived as an expatriate (so far I have lived in Finland, Belgium, Ireland and Austria) for over thirteen years, I have developed a new appreciation for my own language as well as for translated literature. Therefore, my personal interests have been developing towards literary agency and marketing, as well as minority and international literatures – so the ultimate dream would be to be able to find my place in the world where I could combine most of that. That, or alternatively I could open my own little restaurant, with walls covered in bookshelves. Food for the tummy and mind.

Meet some of our current and recent students on our programmes:


Monidipa Mondal, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2013-14

November 26th, 2013 by Monidipa | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Monidipa Mondal, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2013-14
Tags: , ,

At my former desk at Penguin Books India, and those are the exact colours we are. (In other words, I strongly abide by the practice of believing a minimum of six impossible things before breakfast.)

​Hello, my name is Monidipa Mondal.​ ​The MLitt in Publishing Studies at the University of Stirling is going to be my second masters degree and I have been sponsored to study here by a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship. I also write a column called ‘Backlisting’ in the Kindle magazine from India (no affiliation with Amazon), in which I take an interesting non-canon book from South Asian writing in English each month, and do a story about it.

Before these things I worked as a copy editor at Penguin Books India in New Delhi and as a multitasking intern at Blaft Publications in Chennai, India. Earlier than that I studied BA and MA at the Department of English, Jadavpur University in Calcutta, India, a place to which I keep returning, also because it’s home. Sometime in between I published a youth literary magazine called Ex Nihilo and another called Kinaara, archived a vintage Bengali sci-fi magazine called Bismoy, wrote some poetry and fiction, and translated a little from Bengali to English.

I like many things, so now I’ll try to make an alphabetical list: aliens, the Beatles, the blues, book history, comics, CSS, dragons, emoticons, Europe, fan fiction, fantasy, freedom of expression, geography, gods (but not Gods), grandmothers’ tales, Indian classical music, the Internet, limericks, magazines, monsters, mountains, mythology, pastiche, percussion, philosophy, Photoshop, poetry, postcolonialism, printing, puns, rhyming, science fiction, South Asian literature, steampunk, superheroes,  translation, travel, tricksters, typography, vampires (more old-school than teenage-romance, though), Victoriana (only the NSFW bits), Western classical music, witches, worldbuilding… and other things.

I occasionally blog at http://julychildren.com/ and very rarely tweet from @Julychildren.

« Older
Newer »