Student Profile

Paola Gonella, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011 – 2012

November 8th, 2011 by Paola_Gonella | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Paola Gonella, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011 – 2012
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Hi,  my name is Paola, I am Italian and I am currently studying on the MLitt in Publishing Studies course at the University of Stirling.

Working in publishing has always been my ambition. Since I was a child I have always loved being surrounded by books and by people who love books. My parents still remind me of how I used to enjoy spending my afternoons at the city library instead of the playground. That was my escape from the real world and I would be lost there for hours. I even remember telling my mother that I wanted to become a publisher and marry a librarian so that I could read all the books I wanted, whenever I wanted.

When it came to deciding what I wanted to study, there was no doubt in my mind and after my Bachelor’s degree in Public and Institutional Mass Media Communication I chose to do a Master’s degree in Multimedia Communication and Publishing, which introduced me to the publishing world and convinced me even more that this is what I want to do in life.

Although I could not be more satisfied with the education I have received during my studies in Italy, I thought it was time for a new challenge, so I chose to come to the University of Stirling, mostly because of the excellent reputation that the Centre for International Publishing and Communication has. The teaching staff are all experienced and ready to help, and all the modules so far have been challenging but very interesting. What I am particularly looking forward to is working on the editorial project that we are asked to create, because that will really give me the opportunity to put into practice what I (hopefully) will have learned along the way.

Rachel Chase, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011-2012

November 6th, 2011 by Rachel_Chase | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Rachel Chase, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011-2012
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I decided to trade the dry, mountainous city of Highland (in the state of Utah in the USA) for the highlands of Scotland to study publishing. I studied Linguistics with a minor in editing for my undergraduate degree at Brigham Young University. I have always had a love for language and books. The UK is a beautiful place to live and study which played a large part in my decision to study at Stirling. My editing experience has been in editorial thus far, but there are many facets of publishing that I enjoy and I am willing to try different sectors until I find what I really like. I will be an editorial intern for Floris Books in Edinburgh this semester–for which I am very excited! Children’s publishing is what I would like to go into eventually. My love for children’s books stems from reading to my little sisters and brother since they were very young. I have four sisters and a brother who are all younger than me–the youngest is eight years old. I love music and I play the harp and the piano. Some of my favorite books are Cry the Beloved Country, The Hunger Games, The Giver, The House of the Scorpion, The Kite Runner, The Odyssey, and pretty much anything by Emily Dickinson, Ray Bradbury, and Edgar Allen Poe.

Katherine Marshall, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011-2012

October 27th, 2011 by Katherine_Marshall | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Katherine Marshall, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011-2012
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Hello, my name is Katherine and I am currently taking the MLitt programme in Publishing Studies at Stirling University.  Growing up, books were very important to me and have remained so throughout my life.   However, it was not until the final year of  my undergraduate degree in Film and Television Studies that I developed a serious interest in pursuing publishing as a career.  For me, the decision to apply for the course was easy; I wanted to develop a broad awareness of the industry and learn all the necessary skills in order to become a successful publisher.

I was attracted to the course at Stirling  primarily because of its excellent reputation, but also for the strong emphasis it places on gaining practical skills and enhancing  employability.  Every aspect of the course is relevant to the current state of the industry and the staff encourage us to think creatively and with a business perspective.  Like many publishing students my main interests lie with the editing process, however I am now very interested in marketing, which is something I may not have said only a few short weeks ago.

Although just a  few weeks into the course I can confidently say that I am enjoying every minute of it and I cannot wait to begin work on my publishing project and put everything I have learned into practice!

Katherine Spiker MLitt Publishing Studies 2011-2012

October 24th, 2011 by Katherine_Spiker | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Katherine Spiker MLitt Publishing Studies 2011-2012
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Books, books, and more books, that’s what I love. I love reading books. I love collecting books. I love the idea of books. I love everything about them. I have always had a passion for books, ever since I can remember. Only recently, however, did I realize that I wanted a future in publishing. I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Integrated Studies with an emphasis in Liberal Studies form Brevard College in Brevard, North Carolina. My undergraduate degree is very broad, so I decided that I needed to pursue a Master’s degree in a specific field. I happened to come across the MLitt Publishing Studies Program while visiting friends, and instantly knew that this was the course for me. I had always wanted to study abroad and this program gave me the perfect opportunity.

I made the decision to apply to the program and ultimately move to a different country to start my new adventure. I was very impressed the MLitt Publishing Studies website. The modules throughout the course are designed to give the students a well-rounded knowledge of the publishing industry. Being a person who had no prior knowledge of how the publishing industry worked, I found that the program is designed in a way that makes it very easy to grasp the information given to you. Not only does it make it easy to comprehend, it also shows you how to apply the information you have been given. I have thoroughly enjoyed the course so far, and I am really looking forward to what is to come.

I can be found on twitter here.

Helen Lewis-McPhee MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011-12

October 12th, 2011 by Helen_Lewis-Mcphee | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Helen Lewis-McPhee MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011-12
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In 2006, I graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a degree in Psychology and Sociology, and no idea what to do with it. Since then, I’ve been a wedding planner, a fine wines merchant, a facilitator, and a foster carer (and for several particularly exhausting months, all four at the once). I’ve always regarded the publishing industry with that particular wow-wouldn’t-it-be-amazing-to-do-that kind of awe many feel about MI5 or Hollywood, and it never occurred to me that real people get to work in this industry EVERY DAY. Last year, I took the plunge and walked away from my safe (read: unchallenging) and secure (read: dead-end) job in the events industry to take up an unpaid internship at a literary agency, and, figuring I didn’t have enough student debt to my name, applied for the MLitt earlier this year.

So far, the course has proved to be every bit as exciting, exhaustive and exhausting as I could have hoped for. Here’s to nine months of hell and high grammar, and a healthy, happy, baby career to make it worthwhile at the end of it all…

Vicky Sugden, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011-12

October 10th, 2011 by Victoria_Sugden | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Vicky Sugden, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011-12
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My decision to stay on at Stirling after completing my degree in English Studies was a great one. I had been seriously considering the MLitt in Publishing Studies from about Christmas last year and I got in touch with Claire Squires about the course and her enthusiasm and inspiration really spurred me on.  I met  with Padmini Ray Murray during the last year of my undergraduate degree and she showed me the publishing projects completed by previous students and told me more about the course, I knew instantly that it was for me. I then applied, got in and never looked back.

I had looked into studying Publishing at a few other places but remaining in Stirling has been a worthwhile decision, not only are loads of my friends still nearby but I also have the familiarity of the university and endless support from the staff.  The course provides a great deal of opportunity and support to continue my professional development through an abundance of networking and literary events, and of course, not forgetting the social ones! Typically with most Arts students, I wanted to keep the close relationship with one of my passions, literature, and Publishing Studies combines my pleasure with professionalism.

It’s only a few weeks into the course, and already everyone is being kept on their toes! I have met some amazing people and I look forward to embracing the year ahead with everybody.

Arundati Dandapani, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011-12

October 6th, 2011 by Arundati_Dandapani | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Arundati Dandapani, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011-12
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I hail from India, and hold a bachelor’s degree in English with minors in political science and writing from USA. I have interned in Washington DC, and worked in New Delhi and Mumbai for nearly four years. An MLitt in Publishing Studies seemed like the inevitable next step for someone who is not just interested in long copy, short copy or sales, but has a ghoulish appetite for the book as a commodity. What I love about University of Stirling’s Publishing Studies program are its integrated course modules, hands-on publishing projects, market research experiences, specialized IT workshops as well as the exposure to distinguished speakers and industry insiders. The diverse classroom @stirpublishing offers several opportunities to battle off different viewpoints and attitudes to book technology, media, and the business of publishing across a broad spectrum of cultures. I hope to gain significant work experience in the Publishing World before I open up my own little publishing house one day. In my spare time, I consult at a phone retail bookstore, blog about books and can be tracked in the classroom on Twitter. Other loves include long distance swims and fragrant foods. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn !

Laura Rountree, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011-2012

October 6th, 2011 by Laura_Rountree | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Laura Rountree, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011-2012
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Ask any member of my family and one of the first (useful) things they will tell you about me is my love of reading. Fairy tales, crime novels, biographies…the occasional milk carton, the list just keeps going on. And after four years of an English Studies undergraduate degree, it seems that merely reading the books is not enough!

When I first came to Stirling in 2007, the idea of publishing was still a niggling thought that had never really led anywhere before; however, over the next four years, it soon became clear that this was what I wanted to do and even the intimidating statistics that Suzanne Kavanagh shared recently has not put me off.

Coming from both Northern Ireland and the university itself, one would think that the majority of this experience would be familiar to me, when in fact it is merely the backdrop that is recognisable. The course is a brand new experience which appears daunting at first, but that was part of the reason why I decided to stay and do Publishing Studies in Stirling- the challenge. I’m learning something new every day, from both the tutors and my fellow students.

Getting the chance to spread my creative wings and discover abilities I didn’t know I had is just an added bonus!

Núria Ruiz, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011 – 2012

September 29th, 2011 by Nuria_Ruiz | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Núria Ruiz, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2011 – 2012
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I love to read.  I love books.  I love magazines and newspapers.  I relied on, if not quite loved, journals and scholarly monographs during my undergraduate degree in Cultural History at the University of Aberdeen.  I even like the nutritional information on cereal boxes in the morning, just to ease me into the day.  It might be an old cliché in the publishing industry, but I came to the Stirling Centre for International Publishing and Communication because I love reading and I knew that working with books, or magazines or journals, was something very important to me.

I decided to continue my studies on the MLitt in Publishing Studies at Stirling University because although I had a passion, I wanted to develop my professional skills before entering the job market.  There are a number of postgraduate courses in Scotland and England, but Stirling’s blend of creative, business and practical modules appealed instantly.  Publishing, after all, is not only about editing and the Centre’s socio-cultural modules offered me a chance to pursue my academic interests.  My undergraduate dissertation examined the impact of imperialism on the culture of childhood in Edwardian Britain; a large part of my research actually focused on the development of the publishing industry and its output.

Already this semester has been a steep learning curve, but my fellow students and I have more than risen to the challenge!  I’m so glad I made the decision to come to Stirling and I look forward to developing my creative and practical publishing skills even more in the next few months.

Lucy McClune, MLitt in Publishing Studies, 2010-11

December 12th, 2010 by Lucy_Ellen_Mcclune | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Lucy McClune, MLitt in Publishing Studies, 2010-11
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Stirling University has always provided a supportive and flexible learning environment. So after the completion of four years of English Studies at undergraduate level, there was no doubt that I wanted to continue my studies here.

I’m originally from Northern Ireland, making me one of the home students. However, Stirling’s Publishing Studies course is host to a multinational student body, and has provided an interesting environment in which to achieve insight into a spectrum of cultures – publishing and non-publishing related!

One of the other many things that has impressed me about the course was how quickly opportunities were made available for students to become involved with the publishing industry at a practical level – even before the beginning of the course we were forwarded internship details.

So far the MLitt in Publishing Studies has been fast-paced, challenging and engaging. After the first semester I have already an abundance of new skills – such as the ability to operate InDesign and Photoshop – along with a well of new publishing terminology at my disposal. I am looking forward to what next semester has to offer – especially the construction of our publishing projects.

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