Jason Phillips, Alumni and Masters Student in English

Jason Phillips graduated with a B.A. in English, journalism, and public and professional writing in 2023. He continues his education at URI as an English M.A. student with an expected graduation in 2027. 

Why did you choose URI for your undergraduate career?
I decided to graduate high school a year early, so I had a limited amount of time to research and apply to colleges. At the time, I had a friend who was attending URI, and it seemed like the perfect environment for me to grow in from everything she told me about it. I toured the campus with the then editor-in-chief of the Good Five Cent Cigar, Ian Weiner, and he really sold me on the journalism program, which was the first major I declared; that tour was really formative for my time at URI and set me on the path to success before I even enrolled in classes.

What made the English department stand out to you?
I declared my English major at the start of my second semester at URI. I took ENG 100 in my first semester with one of the Ph.D. students, Francesca Borrione, and it really opened my eyes to how exciting studying literature can be. The faculty in the English department are truly amazing as scholars and educators; they really facilitated my growth as a scholar and engaged me in the course content in a way that I never experienced before. Besides the faculty, both the graduate and undergraduate students are some of the smartest people I have ever met. I have learned and grown so much from interacting with my peers.

Share some of your favorite classes/moments/experiences you had as an English major. 
I have had so many amazing experiences in the English department. My favorite class from undergrad has to be ENG 333: The Sensuous Sentence with Professor Travis Williams, which was focused on the history, politics, and social implications of grammar. It was hands down one of the most interesting and engaging classes I’ve taken at URI. Also during undergrad, I had a chance to do research with one of my professors, Carolyn Betensky, that looked at college students’ understanding of and perspectives on adjunct labor at universities. The project taught me a lot about how to conduct research, which was a totally new skill for me, and how universities function. In the end, it was also really gratifying to see my work published online and to see the reactions from others.

Since I entered the master’s program, I’ve been lucky enough to host a number of creative writing nights for the English department at Caf Bar in Wakefield. These events are just a blast to put together and emcee for, and it’s great to see the community come together to celebrate the work of our creative writers. Last year, I received the English Department Graduate Service Award for putting on these events, which was another really gratifying experience for me.

Are there any professors or mentors who have really informed your time as an English student?
There are too many people to mention here that really shaped my experience in the department; I truly think that every professor and grad student that I’ve interacted with has had an important impact on my development as an academic and a person. Specifically, though, I have to thank Carolyn Betensky, Marty Rojas, and Steven Barber. I am deeply indebted to Professor Betensky; I have known her since I was a freshman, and she has been a constant source of support, inspiration, and encouragement. Professor Rojas is the director of graduate studies for the English department. Her door is always open to support all of us grad students in any way she can, and I have been a beneficiary of that on too many occasions to count. Professor Barber introduced me to literary theory and encouraged my exploration of it, which sparked my interest in pursuing further study in the field.

Did you participate in any sort of internship?
I have taken advantage of a number of experiential learning opportunities during my time at URI. I did a social media and marketing internship at Narragansett Beer Company as a sophomore, which was a great experience. I have worked a number of on-campus jobs, ranging from a department office assistant to a number of dining locations on campus. I was also deeply involved in a number of student organizations during undergrad, including the Good Five Cent Cigar newspaper, Ether(bound) literary arts magazine, and Judo Club. I was president of all three of those orgs at different points and worked in numerous roles at the Cigar, ranging from staff reporter to editor-in-chief.

What inspired you to apply to the masters program? 
I knew I wanted to get a graduate degree right after finishing my undergraduate degree, and I was encouraged by a number of faculty in the English department to continue my education. I was already really comfortable in the environment at URI and had set my roots in Rhode Island, so it was a no-brainer for me to stick around for my master’s degree. The situation just worked out perfectly for me to pursue my master’s degree part-time while I work as a staff member on campus full-time. 

What are your career aspirations? 
Right now, my plan is to pursue my Ph.D. in English and to pursue work as a tenure-track professor. I love the environment that being in academia affords us, and I’m deeply passionate about being able to continue learning and doing research while teaching students. That being said, I realize that the job market is extremely competitive, so my backup plan is either to go into the publication; everyone in academia, including me, will tell you that having a backup plan is so important when it comes to pursuing a tenure-track job in the humanities.

What would you tell freshman year Jason?
There are so many things I wish I could tell myself, but really, I’d just want to tell myself that everything will be alright: In due time, you’ll find your place, you’ll meet friends, you’ll learn about yourself, and you’ll find fulfillment. All of those things will change at some point but don’t worry, you’ll find all of those things again.

On a more practical note, what I tell every first-year student is just get involved in something. As I mentioned earlier, I was involved in a number of student orgs, and because of that, I always had a group of friends and things to do. If you aren’t getting involved in student orgs, work a job where you can meet friends or join some sort of social group where you can find community.