Grad School Grads Share Words of Wisdom!

by Zoë Roos Scheuerman ’24

On Wednesday, February 28th, the English department (virtually) welcomed four alumni to share their graduate school journeys and tips. Professors Coral Lumbley and Peter Bognanni moderated the panel, and they shared a few prepared questions before opening the floor up to an informal Q and A. 

The four alumni were Henry (Hank) Hietala ‘17, who is currently at the University of Michigan’s MFA program, Zeena Fuleihan ’18 of Duke University’s Literature PhD program, Amy Vandervelde ’21, at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign for a PhD in Classical Philology, and Dalton Greene ’22 , now at the University of Maryland for a PhD in English Language and Literature.

Three alumni on the panel, Hietala, Fuleihan, and Greene, didn’t go straight to grad school. They emphasized the importance, and normalcy, of slowing down and taking time to figure out what kind of program would be the best fit – and if you want to apply to a graduate program at all. Fuleihan, for example, reflected on her transition from planning to attend an MFA program to deciding to pursue a PhD at Duke’s critical theory-oriented literature program, emphasizing that her original plan wouldn’t have necessarily been the “wrong” choice for her, but definitely one that would have led her down a very different path.

One major takeaway from the event was that the grad school experience can vary vastly between people and from program to program, but some common threads emerged when the four pooled their tips about choosing and applying to programs. One recommendation which all four emphasized was the importance of applying to a fully funded program. Vandervelde and Fuleihan noted that considering a program’s affordability should also include considering an area’s cost of living, since a fully funded program might not be an affordable program in some areas. Hietala also emphasized the importance of looking into summer funding, which may not be included in the “fully funded” claim, as well as investigating whether a program has travel grants. Greene agreed with these points and added that considering where a program’s funding comes from is as important as seeing how much funding you can get, as funding sources can vary even from person to person within a program and funding sources can be complex. All four also stressed the importance of seeing whether a program has a graduate student union, which can make a huge difference in the resources, especially health care benefits, available to grad students. 

For MFAs specifically, Hietala noted the competitiveness of fully funded MFA programs, stressing the subsequent importance of casting a wide net and applying to many potential programs. Greene also pointed out the importance of considering location when deciding whether a program is a good fit: As a medievalist, a major draw of the University of Maryland was being close to the Folger Shakespeare library. Given that a PhD program could take six to eight years, it’s important to make sure a program is in a location that you can see yourself happy living in for a considerable amount of time. 

When asked about the nuts and bolts of applications, the alumni emphasized the importance of staying in touch with advisors and other potential rec-letter writers after graduation, especially if you plan to take some time before grad school and won’t ask for letters during your senior year. Fuleihan emphasized that while rec letters are an important part of an application, it’s the writing sample, not the letter, that may be the deciding factor between two strong applicants.

To top off the Q and A, Professor Bognanni asked each alumni to share the best and most challenging parts of graduate school. Hietala said that his “best” is being part of a creative, intellectual community, and his most challenging part of the experience was moving to a new city and getting situated in a new life after spending so many years outside of academia. Vandervelde praised her cohort and called her community of fellow PhD candidates a highlight, but noted qualifying exams as a large challenge. Fuleihan seconded Hietala’s comment about having such a powerful intellectual environment, but noted that a major challenge of grad school was how easy it can be to lose yourself in the pressure and expectation of a program. She stressed the importance of taking time to step back, take care of yourself, and nurture a life beyond academia. 

Professor Bognanni praised the panelists for their measured and realistic advice. Like the alumni said, he noted, “funding isn’t always what you hope it would be. It’s easy to lose yourself in overwork. Yet, it felt to me, like the alums we spoke to couldn’t imagine themselves doing anything else. They really valued having that time to immerse themselves in what they were most passionate about.” Bognani also added, “Top MFA and PhD programs have only gotten more competitive since the pandemic, but our students keep turning up in amazing places.”

Thank you to all of the panel members for their valuable time and advice! Students who want to learn more about their individual experiences and programs are welcome to reach out to them at the emails below. 

Hietala: [email protected]

Fuleihan: [email protected]

Vandervelde: [email protected]

Greene: [email protected]