The college’s first-ever Publishing Festival -- 3 to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, in the Marano Campus Center auditorium -- will help students learn more about the publishing industry from those working in the field, including two alumni. Refreshments and prizes will be included.
“Two years ago I started to think that we needed a special event for students to learn more about the publishing industry and how to get jobs in that field,” said Juliet Giglio of the college’s English and creative writing faculty. “We have many successful alumni in the publishing field and I had a feeling that they might love the chance to come up to Oswego, so that they could visit their alma mater and give back.”
Giglio said a student committee to help with the event formed, organizers lined up speakers and additional campus sponsors showed interest. Then the pandemic hit.
But Giglio credits student Nira Sapkota, an artist who minors in creative writing and was involved in graphics and helping organize the original event, for reigniting the idea.
“I ran into Nira in the hallway of the Campus Center in early September and she asked me if we’d try to run the Publishing Festival this fall,” Giglio said. “Her enthusiasm got me excited.”
Giglio’s creative writing colleagues supported the idea and offered encouragement, and all the original sponsors -- Career Services, the Department of English and Creative Writing and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office -- said they were in as well.
The first two alumni Giglio contacted were still available in 2015 graduate Imani Gary -- marketing manager at Berkley, a Penguin Random House imprint -- and 2016 graduate Susan Velazquez Colman, a junior agent at JABerwocky Literary Agency, a boutique literary operation. Taylor Rondestvedt, an assistant editor at Simon & Schuster, will round up the expert panel.
Panelists will discuss their experiences, offer advice and answer student questions for the event.
Giglio gives credit to “an amazing group of students who are now helping me with promotion and content” for this event.
“I’m thrilled by the excitement that I’m getting from the students,” she added.