Name: Geneva Marie Fucci
Major: Has a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature with Writing as a minor and is currently working towards MFA in Writing.
Current Occupation: Tutor at the Writing Center/ Pharmacy Technician
Hometown: Belleville, NJ
Current Location: West Milford, NJ
Activities on Campus (when you were an undergraduate): As an undergraduate I was the President of the English Club, Treasurer of Zeitgeist, SGA Senior Class Treasurer, and SGA Vice President. Currently I’m the Executive Vice President of the SGA.
Fun Fact: I’m obsessed with anything that has to do with dinosaurs!
Favorite Quote: “I want to go everywhere, look at and listen to everything. You can go crazy with some of the wonderful stuff there is in life.” – Shel Silverstein
Most of us know Geneva Marie Fucci as the Executive Vice President of the SGA. But she is also a tutor at the Writing Center, and here is why she recommends students to take advantage of it.
HC: When did you attend WPUNJ? What was your plan or course of study?
CC: I first attended WPU in Fall of 2011 as a transfer student from Passaic County Community College. At first I started as a Secondary Education/English double major, but quickly figured out that teaching K-12 wasn’t for me. I then decided that I loved WPU so much that I would come back for my Master’s degree.
HC: Tell us about your experiences and achievements throughout your college years.
CC: College, especially a four-year university, was nothing like I expected. Everything was so much bigger and busier. I had a hard time adjusting at first, especially as a commuter student. It was so easy to come to class and leave quickly afterwards. After making friends in a couple of my classes, I decided to check out some of the clubs they were involved with. From then on I was sunk. I had forgotten how amazing it feels to be involved, how amazing it is to have friends outside of class. I started joining clubs as a general member, but quickly I assumed executive board positions. It was after that I joined SGA, which I’m still involved with today, three years later.
HC: How did you get involved with the Writing Center?
CC: This past fall I was recommended by the head of my graduate program to apply there. I had never gone there as an undergrad so I wasn’t super familiar with the place and what they exactly did. After an interview and a writing sample I was hired. It’s funny to think that I passed by this space almost everyday as an undergrad, never using it, and now I’m there so often, even on my days off. It’s definitely something I recommend to students to take advantage of. I can’t explain how helpful a second set of eyes are.
HC: What do you love most about your current job?
CC: Wow. That’s a hard one. I don’t think I could pick just one thing. I love whom I work with. All the tutors are fantastic people. I guess if I HAD to choose one thing, it would be helping a student “get it.” There are so many times that people come in for grammar and such, which is fine, but the moments when I spend an hour working towards a solid thesis, or helping an ESL student understand basic grammar that we all take for granted, well, those moments are the reason I love working there.
HC: HC: What advice would you give to current and prospective WPUNJ students to ensure they have the best experiences at WPUNJ?
CC: Get involved. It’s as simple as that. I see so many students complain about this campus not offering enough, doing enough, etc. I call their bluff. There are so many clubs and organizations, a thriving Greek life, as well as events each week for students. Becoming involved opens you up to all of this. It not only gives you friends that you’ll come to think that you can’t live without, but it’ll push so far — and in a good way. You’ll find yourself organizing events (by yourself!) and taking trips to do/see things that you thought that you’d never do.
HC: What do you like to do for fun?
CC: It sounds so geeky, but I honestly like to read. My kindle is attached to my hand 90% of the time. When it’s not, I’m either writing or crocheting. I’ve gotten good at making blankets.
HC: What do you like about William Paterson University the most?
CC: The diversity. Hands down. I love being submerged in a culture that celebrates everybody and the fact that we have theme weeks throughout the year to highlight them. I think on of my favorite memories is during Asian Heritage Week when they had brought in dancers and a Chinese dragon. It was then I saw how accepting and diverse we were. The Multipurpose Room was packed to watch this “foreign” dance, and people were enthralled. That’s the coolest thing about William Paterson.