Name: Gaby Audet
School: FCRH ’18
Major: English
Hometown: Sharon, MA
Campus Involvement: President of The Ampersand
How does it feel to be a senior at Rose Hill?
I’m not going to lie, it’s a bit terrifying. I’ve spent almost four years living at Fordham, making amazing friends, and growing up a whole lot. I mean, what I am going to do when I can’t get a slice of penne vodka at Pugsleys at any time of the day or night? On the other hand, it’s really exciting. Pretty soon, I’ll hopefully have my own apartment, I’ll be starting my career, and figuring out how to live real life.
Is there any advice you have for younger Rams looking to get the most out of their Fordham experience?
What is your internship this semester like?
I work at a literary agency called Donadio & Olson, Inc. They represent authors such as Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club) and Mario Puzo (The Godfather). We work with authors to get their manuscripts to the right publishing companies and control their permissions and rights–if someone wants to use excerpts from the book, or make it into a film. A lot of my job is reading the hundreds of manuscripts submitted to us each week to find new authors for us to represent. Since I spend most of my life with my nose in a book anyway, this is a pretty much a dream job for me.
Any advice for those looking to score an internship in publishing?
For a publishing internship, I’d definitely suggest in being involved in some kind of writing or reading extracurriculars. Join a literary magazine, HerCampus, even starting your own literary blog is a good idea. However, it’s also important to show a balance in your life–make your resume stick out by having a unique activity like a fun club sport. It’s also a good idea to start off with an internship at a smaller publishing company or literary agency. They’re a bit easier to get positions at, and then you’ll have some great experience to get your foot in the door.
Name three people, living or dead, who you’d want to join your squad.
Edgar Allen Poe, Ian McKellen, and Marilyn Monroe.
What are you currently watching on Netflix?
I’m re-watching “Friends.” It’s a classic, and watching a group of young people living in New York City makes me hopeful about how my life in the next few years. If I could get an apartment half as nice as Monica Geller’s, I’ll be doing great.
What is your favorite part of being involved in The Ampersand?
This will sound cheesy, but definitely the people. I have been a part of this amazing club since my freshman year, and I can honestly say that it is my favorite activity at Fordham. I’ve always loved reading and writing, so the literary magazine seemed an obvious club for me to join. I knew I’d be able to improve in my writing and help create an awesome magazine. However, I wasn’t expecting all the wonderful people I’d get to know along the way, and growing the bond that we all share. The Ampersand is a fantastic place to get creative, have some fun, hone in your writing skills, but most importantly it’s a perfect place to make friends. I look forward to coming to the meetings every Wednesday, hearing everyone’s fun answers to our get-to-know-you’s, and working together to create something awesome. I’ve met so many incredible people through this club, and every semester, we get to add new members to our Amperfam.
Any tips for how to join or when to look out for meetings?
Of course! Everyone is welcome at any of our meetings anytime. We meet every Wednesday at 8pm in the basement of Rod’s, and work on our writing, workshop each other’s pieces, and have loads of fun. The deadline to submit to the Fall edition of the magazine is October 20th, and you can send your submissions to submission.ampersand@gmail.com.