Take a Cherry Blossom Study Break!

Seriously, you should do it.  Japan House, located on Lincoln south of Florida, is one of the university’s best hidden treasures, not least because of its grove of blossoming cherry trees, which should be at their peak this weekend.  Take a break and check it out!  Go because it’s beautiful:

cherry blossoms Japan House 2016

And go because a famous poet pointed out that life is short and beauty is fleeting, particularly where cherry trees and twenty-year-olds are concerned:

Continue reading “Take a Cherry Blossom Study Break!”

Guest Post: Finding Success at Summer Publishing Programs

A few days ago, we published a post on the phenomenon of summer publishing programs, with links to a number of the most prominent of them and to online discussions about whether or not they are worth the steep price tag.  

One of our alumni kindly agreed to share her experience in a guest post. Her bottom line? Yes, they’re worth it–if you’re committed to making the most of the experience. 

Continue reading “Guest Post: Finding Success at Summer Publishing Programs”

Alumni Profile: Beth Cohon, video editor for Teak

To learn about her career in video editing and her other experiences after graduation, I recently talked with U of I English alumna Beth Cohon. Be sure to check out the sample of her work, linked below! 39d3231

VO: When did you graduate from UIUC?

Beth:  I graduated in 2011, after my third year.

VO:  What was your reason for graduating early?

Beth:  I had a lot of AP credits before starting college. Then going into my junior year, I just realized that if I took something like 5 English courses each semester that I’d be able to graduate that year. However, looking back I sort of wish I had stayed all 4 years, because my last year was so fun. College is fun. I did take the next year to do a one-year MA, though, so I still got in my 4 years of school I guess.

VO:  What was your MA in?

Beth:  I got my MA in film studies, at King’s College London. In the UK most Masters courses are just one year full-time.

VO:  What do you do now?

Beth:  Now I work as a video editor at Teak, an agency/production company in San Francisco.

VO:  How long have you worked there? Continue reading “Alumni Profile: Beth Cohon, video editor for Teak”