Welcome to the blog for the Villanova English department! Visit often for updates on department events, guest speakers, faculty and student accomplishments, and reviews and musings from professors and undergraduates alike.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Prof. Joe Drury on the Royal Baby

Prof. Joe Drury of the Villanova English department recently commented on the royal baby for CBS 3 in Philadelphia.  Click here to watch the video;  Prof. Drury appears at about 0.52 seconds.

Prof. Joe Drury on CBS 3.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Why English Majors Are the Hot New Hires

Last week Bruna Martinuzzi, founder of Clarion Enterprises and author of two business books, posted an article entitled “Why English Majors are the Hot New Hires.”

She noted that “Recently, some high-profile businesspeople came out in favor of hiring English majors,” explaining that employers “are looking to hire English majors because these applicants bring a set of skills that businesses need.”  She listed five areas:
*Communications skills.  “Communication is at the heart of any business. . . .  Bringing an English major to the fold is a much needed salve for organizations today, where poor communication skills are the norm rather than the exception.”
*Writing skills.  In a recent survey, “97 percent of business executives rate writing skills as very important.  English majors—perhaps more than any other major—are trained to write well.”
*Researching skills.  “Having someone on staff who excels in conducting research is a very viable asset.”
*Critical thinking skills.  “The ability to analyze an issue and question assumptions applies to all kinds of information in a business setting.”
*Empathy.  Recent research suggests that “those who read fiction frequently have higher levels of cognitive empathy,” which “improves interpersonal understanding and enhances relationships with customers and business associates.  When you hire an English major, you're likely hiring someone who brings cognitive empathy to the table.”

Bruna Martinuzzi
 Martinuzzi also suggests that English majors can get an additional competitive advantage by combining an English major with courses in other areas.  Click here to read the entire article.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Paid Fall Editorial Internship

Complete Healthcare Communications is looking for a student to participate in a paid editorial internship this fall.  Complete Healthcare Communications is located in Chadds Ford, but is happy to work with the appropriate student virtually a few days a week.

Here are the details of the internship:
Complete Healthcare Communications in Chadds Ford, PA, is seeking an English or Communication major for a proofreading and editorial internship at a medical communications company, from 8/1/13 through 11/30/13. Complete Healthcare Communications specializes in content development, medical affairs, and consultation for the medical community. This is a paid position at $15/hr for approximately 20-25 hrs/week.
Office hours are 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. The intern will provide proofreading/word processing assistance to staff. Will work as a team member that liaisons between multiple departments including, but not limited, to Program Management, Client Services, and Creative Services. There is an opportunity for students to conduct editorial work remotely.
You’ll see that the work is listed as beginning on August 1, but with the right candidate, the company would negotiate for a later start date.

Students should apply by sending a resume and cover letter to our Director of Internships, Danielle Tadros (danielle.tadros@villanova.edu), by Monday, July 29.

The Internship Office also encourages students to apply for academic credit for this internship: http://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/artsci/undergrad/ous/internship.html.

Friday, July 12, 2013

English Major Camila Zrein on Cadiz

Villanova English major Camila Zrein recently published her narrative about Cadiz, "Gracias Por Todo," online at InTravelMagazine.  Click here to read the article.

Camila Zrein, on left, in Cadiz
The narrative has been nominated for the journal's best article prize.  You can vote for the article after registering with the site.

Sports Internships at The Philadelphia Inquirer

Internships are available for the fall at the Philadelphia Inquirer's sports department.

Interns would work 15 hours per week (including some nights and weekends especially during the high school football season), and do a range of things, such as covering games, answering phones, writing notebooks, and working on the web (including social media). The better an intern performs, the more the challenge to the assignments.  Exactly how the time is split up each week will vary.


If you are interested in applying for this internship, e-mail John Quinn, the sports editor at the Inquirer, at jquinn@phillynews.com, and include your resumé.

Remember that to receive credit for an internship, you must apply at our Internship Office: http://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/artsci/undergrad/ous/internship.html.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Working on Wall Street Program

If you’re a rising senior, you (like other rising seniors in the College) are invited to attend the event described below, which was organized by the Villanova (Alumni) Financial Club.  It’s about working in financial services, and it takes place in New York on August 7.