Editor’s note: This story has been updated to remove “professor” from Brielle Freeman’s title.
Students and faculty highlighted how the English department builds community on Wednesday by showcasing the variety of majors and career paths available at English Unbound Day.
Brielle Freeman, administrative communications and outreach coordinator with the English Department, said the event was “part celebration, part showcase and part community” and a way to recognize students in the English department.
At a table packed with flyers and a raffle for bookmarks where people used thier favorite quote for an entry.
Senior creative writing major Grace Gonzalez said the event aimed to bring the department into view for a wider campus audience.
“I think this event is a way to expose people in and outside of the English department to all that they can get out of the English department,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez, an intern for the English department as a story and profile writer, said her favorite part of the day was talking with curious students and answering questions about classes and concentrations. She suggested a clearer, more permanent setup for future events to make the table easier to find.
Abigail Gaynor, a freshman English literature major, said the department wants to broaden the narrow ideas of what studying English entails, pointing to programs such as film studies, professional writing and creative writing.
“We’re inviting people to look deeper,” Gaynor said.
Gaynor said studying English has broadened her view and strengthened her critical thinking.
“It forces me to think really deeply about things and how interdisciplinary it is,” Gaynor said, noting that coursework touches on history, gender studies and rhetoric.
Attendees recommended placing future tables in higher-traffic areas outside the humanities building so they reach students from different majors. They said they will consider moving to spaces or the Downing Student Union to increase visibility and engagement.
Freeman said English majors don’t just examine literature; they also study systems, audiences, and real-world challenges.
“It builds multicultural awareness and effective negotiation skills, and it fosters strong networks local and beyond through course-based projects, internships, and study abroad experiences. And, it often makes us stop and enjoy the beauty of a phrase, a concept, an observation about the world in which we live.” Freeman said.
