Name and role at the Press: Connor Spencer, Social Media Marketing Intern

Major/minor/year at NYU: English and American Literature Major, minors in French and Gender and Sexuality Studies, Class of 2014

Any previous internships you’d like to note?: Prior to coming to NYU Press, I worked in the non-profit arena at The Door, a comprehensive youth development agency in downtown Manhattan. I worked in their college advising office, and mostly conducted tutoring and student outreach. I would venture to say that it was something of a formative experience for me, and I continue to work with NYU organizations in the fields of service and social advocacy. Civic engagement is really important to me—I want to feel as much a part of the city as I am a student within it!

Why did you decide to intern with NYU Press?: Once of the major draws of NYU for me was that its location would give me easy access to the publishing industry, justifying my questionable choice to pursue a humanities degree (kidding!). Research in my classes has led me to thumb through a number of university press texts, and some of my professors even utilized books that were published by NYU Press itself, so I guess you could say that academic publishing was always on my mind. I felt like this internship would be a great way to not only get my feet wet in publishing, but to also have the opportunity to work with a lot of tremendously cool books along the way. It’s basically a nerd’s paradise over here.

Last, but certainly not least, in our intern spotlight series: Carmen in editorial shares her academic interests, love of NYC street culture, and a summer vacation spot that just might have New York beat…

• Name and role at the Press: Carmen Germaine, Editorial Intern

• Major/minor/year at NYU: Literature/Social Research major and Public Policy minor, Class of 2014 (at NYU Abu Dhabi)

• Any previous internships you’d like to note?: I’ve been interning with an NYUAD professor, Prof Paulo Horta, on a work he’s compiling on Michael Ondaatje’s The English Patient.

• How did you hear about this internship and/or why did you decide to intern with NYU Press?: Professor Horta mentioned that he thought NYU Press might have an opening for a summer intern, and he gave my name to Eric and Ciara. [Ed.: Our editor-in-chief and assistant editor, respectively.] I was looking for an internship in the publishing industry here in New York, preferably in editorial, in either literary fiction or academic publishing, so this position seemed perfect. I’m not majoring in Social Research any more, and I finished my requirements for the concentration, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to keep in touch with some of the exciting things being published in the social sciences while also immersing myself in the publishing industry and exploring the editorial process.

• Subject area NYU Press publishes in that most interests you: I don’t know if I could choose—they all seem really interesting! I’m probably most interested in Sociology, but as part of that I’d love to read more in Cultural Studies, Race and Ethnicity, and Women’s Studies.

• Any Spring/Fall 2012 titles you’re looking forward to getting your hands on?: Lots of them! I’ve been missing my high school history classes, and I noticed that this Spring we’ve published two books about Napoleon—Under the Shadow of Napoleon by Michael A. Bonura and Forging Napoleon’s Grande Armee by Michael J. Hughes. I think either of them would satisfy my craving. There’s been a few pieces in the paper about Critical Race Theory, and I’d love to know more, so the second edition of Critical Race Theory by Richard Delgado and Jean Stefanic would be really useful. This Fall, we’re publishing Making Women’s Histories, by Pamela S. Nadell and Kate Haulman, which I think would be a great general introduction for me to the impact of women’s and gender history. And, I’m also excited that the Monthly Review Press is publishing Lettuce Wars by Bruce Neuburger. I took a class last semester on food and culture, and we looked briefly at various labor and economic issues related to food, so I would love to learn more.

• Favorite thing about NYC (or, favorite New York moment): Right now I am really loving the street culture of New York. When the weather is nice, everyone is out and there’s so much you can do just by walking around—lots of little surprise festivals, tons and tons of street food (although that can be hit or miss!), and some really beautiful parks, to name a few things. I’m looking forward to spending lots of time just wandering the city.

• Is this your first summer in the city? If yes, what are you looking forward to the most? If no, any must-do recommendations?: This will be my first full summer in the city, although I was here last summer for a week. I’m really looking forward to going to some flea markets, which I missed out on last year. As far as recommendations go, I think my favorite thing to visit so far is probably the Met. If you do go to the Met, I’d advise you to spend as much time as you can and just wander around, trying to get lost, and find your favorite spot. My favorite is definitely the period rooms.

• Favorite summer vacation: My week in NYC last year was pretty great! I also went to Istanbul for a week and a half at the end of last semester, which was amazing and could definitely give New York a run for its money.

• Anything else interesting you’d like to share?: I’ve been studying in Abu Dhabi for the past two years, and next year I’ll be abroad in Florence and Buenos Aires before returning to Abu Dhabi for my senior year.

You didn’t think we didn’t have more interns to feature, did you? Good, because, we’ve got more of ‘em coming up! Today, meet Jiayi from e-marketing.

• Name and role at the Press: I’m Jiayi and I’m the e-marketing and social media intern, which, among other things, means that I get to tinker around the website, reach out to authors for blog posts, and brainstorm and research cool ways to get the word out online about upcoming NYU Press releases.

• Major/minor/year at NYU: I’m a rising junior, majoring in economics with a Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology minor—which I decided to undertake after finishing both Friday Night Lights and Downton Abbey (while, mind you, keeping up with the nearly-dozen shows I follow) during a flu-stricken January 2012.

• Any previous internships you’d like to note?: Aside from NYU Press, I have also been interning at Of a Kind, a fashion start-up that focuses on up-and-coming design talent, where I’ve had the amazing opportunity to work with and write about some of the designers. Other than that, I’ve also done fieldwork in the fashion area—interning with a designer and helping with everything from show production to, well, whatever came my way.

• How did you hear about this internship and/or why did you decide to intern with NYU Press?: I went to a marketing club event last semester and was a bit blindsided by how serious some of those marketing kids were (think, talking about their favorite brands and their recent campaign strategies as casual conversation topics). So, I guess in a bit of a competitive spirit, and wanting to learn through experience, I went on CareerNet and saw that NYU Press had an opening. I’ve always been interested in publishing and wanted to learn hands-on what a press did to get the word out about its books—and the position married those two interests perfectly. What I really liked, though, was that NYU Press wasn’t a ginormous press so that I could still actually be hands-on and work directly on projects.

• What are you most excited about doing/learning during your summer with NYU Press?: I feel like I can’t fully answer that yet. In the short while that I’ve been here, I’ve done things and learned things that went beyond what I thought marketing entailed, so I’m going to hold off and see what other interesting things I’ll come across. I am, however, very excited about the author interviews we’ve got coming up, so…this isn’t a totally wasted answer!

• Subject area NYU Press publishes in that most interests you: I’m willing to read anything as long as it promises to be interesting. Case in point: I’m itching to read The Notorious Elizabeth Tuttle—I mean, who doesn’t want to read about a madwoman?—when it comes out in October, although history books have generally had the effect of putting me to sleep.

• Any Spring/Fall 2012 titles you’re looking forward to getting your hands on?: I got my hands on a copy of Single for research, and was really excited about that. Other than that, I’m also really looking forward to Authentic™ by Sarah Banet-Weiser. Outside of the NYU Press scope though—ever since taking a psych class a couple of years ago, I’ve been fascinated by how our brains and memories work, so Moonwalking with Einstein is also on my to-read list. And, although it’s not an upcoming release, Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me—for way too long, I’ve been trying to find a time to read it, so now that it’s summer and I’ve announced it to the world, I can’t really opt out anymore. Self-inflicted peer pressure.

• Favorite thing about NYC (or, favorite New York moment): My favorite New York moments are when I’m en route to Grand Central, getting out of New York. Don’t get me wrong—I love New York and am in awe of it as much as the next tourist is, but it’s always nice to get out, and go on a long road trip where you barely see any traffic of any sort for hours. I don’t even have a driver’s license, so I’m always a lot more appreciative of how accessible the city is after coming back.

• Summer-in-the-city survival tips?: Whenever a publication comes out with an “100 things to do in New York over the summer” list, I pore over it but never do a good job of actually remembering the date and getting out. So my recommendation would be to read those articles and actually noting the dates. But I will say that if you ever find yourself on the Staten Island ferry, the lower deck—all the way to the front, past the tourists, where the commuters take their bikes—is a must. If only because the last time I went on, the breeze was amazing, and I saw the cops chasing a boat that was going in front of the ferry all action movie-style—gun, or at least a large machinery that looked like one to me, and everything.

• Favorite social network du jour?: Ever since Instagram for Android came out, it’s been on the top of my list. I’m not too active on any social network (says the social media intern…), but I do appreciate that Instagram lets me see what’s going on with my friends and the cool things they discover.

• Favorite app you’re hooked on?: I didn’t have a smart phone for so long that even after owning one for almost a year now, I still went all dinosaur and said, “Wait, but I have no internet,” when one of my bosses said she’d sent the password for internet connection to my email. “But your phone does!” All that’s to say is that those years with a phone whose only function was call, text, and take pictures gave me pretty good self-control for when it comes to my phone these days, and I do not have an app (ok, besides Instagram…) that I’m obsessed with…currently.

Another intern under fire! Today, meet Brittani from marketing. Happy Friday, y’all!

• Name and role at the Press: Brittani Hilles, Marketing and Publicity Assistant

Next up in our intern spotlight series is Henry, who is technically an extern in the marketing department. This means he’s pretty much an intern, without the NYU affiliation. In Henry’s case, no-NYU-affiliation means he’s a part-time summer transplant, and a newbie to the commuter crowd. Below, he tells us about his role at the Press and his favorite NYC moments so far.

• Name and role at the Press: Henry Willshire, Marketing Extern

• Major/minor/year in school: Undecided/Creative Writing, Ursinus College, Class of 2016

• Hobbies?: Reading (fiction), writing (fiction), fencing (Epee), running (occasionally).

• Why did you decide to extern with NYU Press?: My dad works in academic publishing, so when I decided I wanted to do an internship this summer I looked in that industry. It was appealing because it offered me a chance to go and work in the city. Not to mention, I get to be around books all day—particularly ones that are on interesting, specific topics that I’d like to learn more about.

• What are you most excited about doing/learning during your summer with NYU Press?: Since I’m working in marketing, I’m most excited about learning the details of how publishers make their titles available and, well, how they market books. I know a little about how the author writes a book and gets it into the hands of an editor, who eventually passes it onto the publisher, but I want to learn more about how it goes from publisher to bookstore.

• Subject area NYU Press publishes in that most interests you: I really like the Criminology and Psychology areas. I like reading both fictional and nonfictional detective stories, and try to figure out why people think and feel the way they do. Certain books in the History section appeal to me too, because there are all sorts of cool little histories that people keep discovering and rediscovering.

• Any Spring/Fall 2012 books you’re looking forward to getting your hands on? (NYU Press titles and otherwise): The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson. From NYU’s catalog: Why Jury Duty Matters by Andrew Guthrie Ferguson, and Astrology and Cosmology in the World’s Religions by Nicholas Campion.

• Favorite thing about NYC (or, favorite New York moment): In general, the fact that when you walk down a major street, you will see an example of nearly every type of person imaginable is pretty amazing. It sounds corny, but it really does go to show the fact that New York is the world’s melting pot. A specific New York moment was visiting Chinatown with some friends for Chinese New Year, and, due to a misunderstanding about the operating instructions, shooting an elderly woman with a confetti gun. (Apparently it’s pull, then twist. Who knew?)

• Is this your first summer in the city? If yes, what are you looking forward to the most (events, activities, whatever)?: It’s my first summer coming in to New York every day. I’m looking forward to just being in the city, because of all the opportunities it presents. So far, I’ve gone to a cool burger place on its last day before closing, seen a guy loudly proclaim that “the end is in fact nigh!” and realized that there is literally a comic book shop next door to the office.

• Favorite summer vacation: Going to Greece with my grandparents, and seeing Athens and all the ancient historical sites. It’s pretty cool to stand on the same stones that the original creators of democracy once stood on, with several thousand years of history setting you apart. And the beaches. Those are nice too…

This month, we’re giving our interns the spotlight. From editorial to production to marketing, these students are along every step of the way. And, over the next couple of weeks, they’ll tell us about their roles at NYU Press and clue us in on their favorite New York things. Here, meet our high-spirited marketing intern, Katrina.

• Name and role at the Press: Katrina Nill, Marketing Intern

• Major/minor/year at NYU: Film and Television, 2014

• Any previous internships you’d like to note?: I interned briefly at Shout It Out Loud Music, a production/design company for advertising, television, film and interactive. Now, in addition to NYU Press, I am interning at Submarine Entertainment, a film sales and production company.

• How did you hear about this internship and why did you decide to intern with NYU Press?: I heard about the NYU Press internship through the NYU Wasserman website; it seemed like a great opportunity to learn more about the process of a publishing company and how to publicize books/topics.

• What are you most excited about doing/learning during your summer with NYU Press?: I’m excited to read new books and strengthen my graphic design skills!

• Subject area NYU Press publishes in that most interests you:
  I’m especially interested in media/cultural studies, anthropology, psychology, and books about New York City.

• Favorite thing about NYC:
  All of the unique cheap eats and the restless energy.

• What are you looking forward to the most in New York this summer?:
  This is my first summer in the city! I’m excited for films projected in the park, rooftop gatherings, seeing all my friends’ apartments, and learning to navigate around the city better.

• Favorite summer vacation:
  Last summer I went to San Francisco to visit my good friend; we drove around the city and up the huge hills, went biking, went to the beach… Coming from the East Coast (I’m from New Hampshire), I loved going to the other side of the country and enjoyed the differences. Now I understand why my friend is so torn between San Francisco and New York!