Whether throwing a departmental brunch party downtown or a birthday celebration for a 19th-century literary icon, the English department always invites one key group: alumni.
“When alumni stay connected to the department, they offer a crucial network for graduating students as they navigate the professional world,” said Shonni Enelow, PhD, chair of the department and English professor.
The effort to foster an alumni network has manifested in various events over the past few years, but it often begins with a simple email.
“One of the most obvious—and in some ways a little bit of a heavy lift project—is just to have a newsletter that goes to alumni,” said Enelow. Sometimes it’s just an update of what’s going on in Fordham English, sometimes they invite grads to share what they’re up to, and some of their newsletters share upcoming events—such as the 250th birthday party for Jane Austen—and ask if grads are able to support them with a small donation. “Largely it’s just a way to keep a connection with our alumni network,” she said.
Creating Connections Among Students
A few years ago, then-department chair Mary Bly (aka Eloisa James) and Creative Writing Program Director Sarah Gambito launched a new event series to bring current students and alumni together for networking.
Its name evolved from “High Tea” into the more inclusive “Family Meal,” and was most recently held in 2024 at the Public Theater’s restaurant, The Library. Affordably priced for students and graduates, the event was an instant hit.
Jessica L. Cozzi, ’20, is a YA novelist and a publicist with HarperCollins who recently signed a multi-book deal with Penguin Random House for a new series, the first of which, We’ve Hit Turbulence, was just published. For her, reconnecting with the English department at an intimate gathering like Family Meal made a big impact. “It feels very comforting and reassuring to know I’m walking into this room and I already have two things [a love of reading and writing] in common with everybody else in here. It makes it feel like I’m among my people.”
The department is making plans for a new event that brings together alumni and students. They’re also considering inviting faculty to the next “Love, English” student mixer, which they debuted last fall. The lively event blended faculty talks with activities intended to get everyone talking and connecting. Students received “dance cards” with icebreaker questions to spark conversations, and divulged reading secrets in literary confession booths, such as “a literary character’s demise that you ugly cried over,” said Gambito.
But both Enelow and Gambito said creating bonds with current students is key to developing a strong alumni network.
“The seed starts from real relationships that have been forged at the University,” said Gambito. “The English department makes an effort to really know our students, and then it’s very easy and graceful, after they graduate, to think about how to bring them in.” Cozzi, for instance, has given Gambito a standing invitation to reach out whenever her students want to talk about working in publishing.
“The hope,” said Enelow, “is that they’ll stay in contact with us and feel proud of their college experience and the connections they made.”
