English Department at Montclair State University

04/13/2026

Dr. Wendy Nielsen is hosting a Virtual English MA Open House on Tuesday, April 21 from 6-7 PM. She will let you know about our department's MA program and the areas on which you can focus; you'll hear about career pathways and professional opportunities; you'll get details on admissions, funding, and application tips; you'll meet other faculty and a current member of our MA class. You need to register first!
Bonus: Attendees who register and participate using the same email address will receive an application fee waiver when applying to the program.
https://lnkd.in/ekGPVbr3.

03/25/2026

Montclair State English is in full swing during the Spring 2026 semester! Check out some photos of classes in action featuring our great Professors: Dr. Rzepka and Dr. Behlman!

03/13/2026

Montclair English Department Alums: we're getting close! The 4th annual Alumni Reception is coming up on 3/26 at 6 PM in the School of Business Room 140. We're expecting a terrific turnout--lots of RSVPs already--but there's room for more of you to come. If you haven't been, it's a lovely, low-key night that allows you to see old professors and classmates as well as meet and network with like-minded folks. Registration is FREE; attendees can bring a guest, and we'll have appetizers and drinks.

Take a look at the photos from our first three if you're curious. Please use the registration link to confirm you're attending. Thanks!

https://engagement.montclair.edu/e/2026-english-alumni-reception/

https://montclairstatealumniengagement.smugmug.com/2023/English-Alumni-Reception-040423

https://montclairstatealumniengagement.smugmug.com/2024ae/022724-English-Alumni-Reception

https://montclairstatealumniengagement.smugmug.com/2025ae/2-25M-english

This gallery hosted by SmugMug; your photos look better here.

02/21/2026

News item about the book drive English organized in coordination with Social Work and Child Advocacy for Bridge of Books. Many thanks to all of our donors and helpers! Montclair has AMAZING students.

Faculty, students, and staff from English, Social Work and Child Advocacy, History, and the Interdisciplinary School for Social Transformation completed a children’s book drive benefiting the Bridge of Books Foundation, donating 13 boxes of like‑new books for young readers across New Jersey. Bri...

02/20/2026

Please join us! Info below. You can scan QR code or email Nada Rustom (email on the flyer) or Jeff Gonzalez at [email protected] to get the link.

01/05/2026

Hello English Department friends! We invite you to read out most recent Alumni Newsletter at the attached Google Drive link.
Three undergraduate students--Josie Estes, Menen Gowdie, and Bella DiCristina--came up with the ideas for each interview and feature story; they also designed and edited the final version that I hope you'll enjoy. Of the five newsletters we've produced so far, this one's by far the most ambitious, and I'm proud of what our students put together.

This issue contains interviews with new film professor Jennifer Fleeger and our highly decorated colleague, Patricia Matthew. You'll also see conversations with three alums: Evan Dekens, English teacher and author of a collection of poetry; Michelle D'Alessio, English teacher and recent MA grad; and Sue Serritella, the CEO of Continuum Marketing. We have a short update on life in the department on page 1, with links to articles about the department in the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. Our student writers produced feature stories--one on the "BookTok" phenomenon, one on a streaming TV show hosted by two English majors, and one on English 300, the only required English course.

If you cannot access the link above, please DM this link and we'll share it with you. And if you'd like to be featured in a forthcoming issue, please DM or email Professor Jeffrey Gonzalez.

Thanks & enjoy!

12/03/2025

Join the English Department and VOCES, the Latino caucus of Montclair Township, to welcome Pulitzer-Prize winning author Junot Diaz to campus on Thursday, 12/4 at 6:30 PM in the University Hall 7th floor conference room. Please consider joining us!
Register here: https://www.montclair.edu/english/2025/11/12/pulitzer-prize-winning-author-junot-diaz-to-headline-voces-latino-thought-leaders-series-at-montclair/

04/25/2025

1 Day for Montclair is here, and we invite you to make an impact by supporting the English Department Research and Innovation Initiative.

Your gift — of any size — will directly contribute to:

1️⃣ Paid Research Opportunities
Students will gain hands-on experience working on faculty-led projects, with opportunities for travel and archival work — experiences that help prepare them for life after graduation.

2️⃣ Faculty Development & Curriculum Enrichment
Your support will allow faculty to enhance curriculum, bring in guest speakers, and collaborate with other departments, creating an even more dynamic learning environment for students.

3️⃣ Community Engagement & Career Development
The initiative will help the department build community partnerships, and create volunteer, internship, and career opportunities — providing students with the real-world experience they need to succeed.

Whether you give $5 or $500, every gift matters and adds up to create a lasting impact. By supporting the English Department, we can ensure that today’s students have the same opportunities that helped so many of our graduates thrive. Your gift will help provide future generations of English majors with even more enriching experiences.

🧡 Make your gift today:

Let's Go Red Hawks!

04/06/2025

TOMORROW--APRIL 7, 2025: Alum Patrick O'Dowd returns to Montclair to read from his forthcoming, critically-acclaimed novel, "A Campus on Fire." University Hall 2046 from 7-8.

Pre-order here or pick up a copy at the reading: https://regal-house-publishing.mybigcommerce.com/a-campus-on-fire/

01/15/2025

Hi all! Please see the link below for the January 2025 alumni newsletter. In it, I offer some updates on the English department, and our student team interviews alums Tiago DeSousa Nevia, Anne Bobis, and Kristen Millburn, all of whom graduated somewhat recently and are finding success in different fields. We also have an interview with undergrad Micaela Warren, who recently published two poems in "The Brooklyn Rail."
Here's that link!https://thecollegewritersblock.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/alumni-newsletter-fall-2024-final-final-1.pdf
Do send any thoughts you have or let us know if you'd like to be featured in our next issue.

11/16/2024

Check out our two amazing English majors, Paloma Lupino and Faith Monesteri, on the new "English Breakfast" talk show, now showing on the Hawk+ streaming channel:

10/30/2024

The university is planning to establish a bilingual English-Spanish low-residency creative writing MFA and would like to solicit your thoughts on the subject. Is it something that you, or other majors you know, are or would be interested in? If you’re an alumnus, would you or someone you know be interested in possibly applying to such a program?

If you have other thoughts on this proposal that fall outside the scope of these questions, feel free to share them. We would be grateful to receive your comments by November 15. Email them to Professor David Galef at [email protected].