Who Are We?

The ESA began with an interest meeting last spring, as over fifty students crowded into the Bryan Faculty Lounge to brainstorm ideas for a student group that could bring together the English community. From there, the ESA has sprouted into an organization that holds regular monthly meetings, runs a broad mentorship network that connects peers and alumni, and hosts a plethora of academic, social, and career oriented events. 

Majoring in English can feel like a strange decision in an academic and cultural environment that increasingly challenges the value of the humanities in education. Our vision as a group is to provide support and inspiration through the amazing resources we have here- namely, our community itself, at the University and beyond.

Our monthly meetings are structured to reflect this vision. Opening with a time to socialize over snacks, we then have department announcements, a featured student or group to showcase the amazing diversity and talent of our peers, and finally, a speaker, panel, or round table discussion to equip us for university life or the marketplace. In addition to our meetings, we run a mentorship network connecting students to each other and to English Department alumni, to facilitate clarity and confidence in the many decisions that guide undergraduate and post graduate life.

Ultimately, we hope to support and inspire literature lovers within and outside the English Major, to affirm the relevance of an English Major in the contemporary world, and to equip students with the resources of our amazing community.

The ESA on Grounds

As the ESA functions in the context of many diverse CIOs on Grounds, we work to both unify the English community from within and to extend relationships and visions across disciplines. At our meetings, activities, and open mic nights, we work hard to connect students to existing creative writing groups, literary magazines, service organizations, etc. and to mobilize student leaders to form new initiatives to meet unserved needs. For example, if a student is looking for a creative writing group, we’ll connect them with the leaders of Write Club, a poetry guild, The Virginia Literary Review, etc. Meanwhile, ESA members have recently started an independent book club, and are looking forward to co-launching a magazine devoted to inter-racial dialogue.

While we seek to develop CIO bonds within the English community, we also foster partnerships with other organizations on Grounds, to bring the study of literature to bear with broader university conversations and efforts. We recently featured UVA’s chapter of the International Justice Mission, and hosted a speaker to discuss the connections between anti-trafficking efforts and the English major. Our developing partnership with the African American Studies Majors Union seeks to open conversation about different individual’s experiences at the University, and to ignite projects that maintain conversation, develop friendships, and enact lasting change. As we bring together students from within and without the English community, we hope to illuminate the value of clear communication and creative expression as they inform interdisciplinary action.