This spring semester, Syracuse University Press was fortunate to have two interns, Tatum Shea in our acquisitions department and Katie Ryder in the marketing department. As both wrap up their internship and undergrad studies, we took a moment to catch up with them about their experience at the press, seeing university publishing close-up, and their expectations about the future.
What drew you to applying to intern at the press?
KR: I learned that I wanted to work in publishing during my junior year at Syracuse. Since I had a background in illustration, I figured design would be a good fit for my skill set and started building my portfolio and experience in that direction. The problem became that most internships within the publishing industry are in New York City. It was a huge boon when I learned that Syracuse has its own publishing house right on South Campus. I was able to talk with Lisa, the marketing manager, at a library welcome event, and toured the facility, interviewing people in a wide range of departments. The people at SU Press were lovely to talk to and very willing to answer my many questions. After that experience, I knew this would be a great place for me to grow as a designer.
TS: I was initially drawn to the SU Press acquisitions internship because I thought it would be a good way to gain experience in the publishing industry. Prior to my time with SU Press, I had no publishing experience, but I knew I was interested in the field. I didn’t have a concrete understanding of what different jobs in publishing meant or which one I was interested in pursuing, and I was optimistic that this internship would be a good opportunity to expand my horizons, talk to different professionals in the field, and figure out what aspects of the industry interest me most. I am extremely lucky to have been entrusted with this position as it has proven to be a wonderful opportunity to become acquainted with the industry and figure out what realm of publishing I am the most interested in pursuing.
Tell me what your day to day work was like at the press. Was there a project that was particularly rewarding or interesting?
KR: I work with the marketing department on a wide range of projects like designing social media posts, printed handouts, and a book cover. During my time at the Press, I usually have two to three projects going at once. I would jump between tasks as I got stuck or tired of a specific aspect of design. This made the entire process much more enjoyable and I was ready to get back to work once I got feedback on a project I put down earlier during my shift. I was also able to attend a few cover and marketing meetings, where I learned about the marketing of academia publication. The most rewarding task of this internship was getting to help design the front and back covers of Black, Jewish, and Beautiful, edited by Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell, Sara Feldman, Brett Ashley Kaplan. I was able to create a cover design, present my ideas in a professional setting, and receive valuable feedback. I can’t wait to see the book in person.
TS: No two days at the Press have looked the same for me this semester. I have been extremely fortunate to get to experience a vast variety of tasks and learn from every department. Some tasks on my daily list include collaborating on updating alt text for published works, working on proposals, and reading manuscripts. I have also had the opportunity to write publication proposals, assist with editing manuscripts, review contracts, take inventory, organize materials, and participate in press and author meetings. Some of the most rewarding experiences I have had over the semester here have been writing publication proposals. These experiences have allowed me to connect on a deeper level with the work coming into the Press and it has been an honor to be even just a small part of the process of getting these pieces to print.
While your experience at the press were both primarily in one department, are there other areas or aspects of publishing that you would like to explore in the future?
KR: Marketing design has been a lot of fun. It has allowed me to use my skill in image composition while learning more about using text within a variety of canvas sizes. In the future, I would like to explore other types of design for publications, particularly interior book design. I’d like to see the process of designing hundreds of pages with very specific content and how it differs from designing one to three spreads.
TS: Although most of my time at the Press was spent in acquisitions, I have been lucky to collaborate with all of the departments here at SUP. I have participated in cover meetings as well as whole-staff launch meetings and even some private meetings with marketing, business, and the Press director Catherine Cocks. Through these experiences, I have realized that while I am interested in exploring opportunities in acquisitions, I am also very intrigued by these other departments’ work. Because of these conversations and meetings, I am keeping an open mind during my job search and am applying to positions across editorial, acquisitions, and marketing.
What are you reading? Do you have any books that you would like to recommend?
KR: Currently I’m rereading Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, in celebration of the movie coming out. I had forgotten how much I enjoy this book and the excitement I’m feeling at specific moments revival my first read through. It has been a much needed break as finals and graduation approach. Another book I’d recommend is Once Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire. It is a lovely collection of varieties that immerses you in Sutherlands, a rare book store in London. It is a joy to read about all the characters and strange artifacts that populate this store. Perfect for a cozy day in.
TS: My most recent read was Chloe Michelle Howarth’s Sunburn. A story about a young girl in Ireland navigating high school and her growing feelings for her best friend, Susannah. It is a story of coming-of-age, queer love, platonic love, loss, and heartbreak and it is a truly beautiful book. Other than that, some of my favorite books to recommend are Sally Rooney’s Normal People, Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life (check trigger warnings), and John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany. All of these books came into my life at different times, whether that be through school, social media, or an eye-catching cover, and all have had monumental impacts on my life. I highly recommend all of them.
What’s on the professional horizon for you?
KR: My goal is to continue working with books in whatever way I can. I am applying for work as a designer for trade publishing in NYC and honing my illustration skills to work as a cover artist. Until those applications come to fruition, I plan to work with my local library so I can continue to make sure books get to readers that will appreciate them.
TS: Leading up to my graduation this May, I am deep in the post-grad job search. Although I do not have a job lined up yet, I am looking for full-time work in publishing and am keeping an open mind to all new experiences and opportunities. I am excited to become a part of the professional world in whatever role that ends up being. For now, I am looking forward to graduating, spending time at home with my family, and continuing my job search.
What would you tell someone interested in pursuing a career in publishing?
KR: Get your foot in the door. Even if your first job or internship is not exactly what you’re looking for, you will learn a lot and meet some amazing people. At first, I was not looking at work in marketing, but my experience at SU Press has taught me about aspects of marketing design that I had never considered before that are much closer to the work I enjoy than I initially thought. Even if you don’t have the same experience, every aspect of publishing is intertwined. Get your foot in the door, talk to everyone you can, say yes or volunteer to tasks that interest you, and learn as much as you can.
TS: My biggest piece of advice to someone interested in pursuing a career in publishing is to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. Any internship, job, networking call, etc. is a step in the right direction towards your final goals. Over my time with the press, I have really come to appreciate just how important experience and connections are. Experience is helpful not only on a resume, but also in improving confidence. Leaving my internship with the press, I am exponentially more confident in my abilities and understanding of the publishing industry and I will take that with me into the next professional chapter of my life. I have also had the opportunity not only to speak with people in the office, but past SU Press interns as well who are now working in publishing professionally. These types of conversations, while they can be intimidating, are a wonderful way to get your questions answered and hear about others experiences in the industry. Overall, I would say to anyone interested in pursuing a career in publishing, just go for it! Take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way and lean on those around you for support.