The English department at Lafayette is a lively and diverse environment that fosters exploration, analysis, discussion, and understanding in the classroom while encouraging reading and writing as lifelong pursuits.
Through rigorous assignments and challenging discussions, I have practiced effective reading and writing strategies in the classroom with the guiding support of my English professors. I have applied these learning experiences to my work as a Writing Associate with the College Writing Program, where I have the opportunity to mentor first-year students as they transition to college-level academic writing.
-Emma Sylvester, English Major (Writing Concentration) and A&S Minor, Class of 2025
Poetry is anything that touches the soul. As a poet, I strive to bridge the gaps we place between ourselves. My favorite part about my time in the English department has been the loving, kind people I’ve met–both professors and students. The courses Black Writers, 206 with Professor Wadiak, and Black Lit: Testimony of Slavery have cemented my passion for the art form. -Lonan Jennings, English (Concentration Undecided) and Classics Major, German Minor, Class of 2027
English students are emboldened to apply the skills they learn to coursework in other disciplines, projects in the community, and endeavors in their personal lives.
I never intended to be an English Major when I came to Lafayette nor did I ever really consider taking a class, even though I loved the subject in high school. I came in expecting psychology classes, labs, and maybe an anthropology class or two. However after taking a queer writers class freshman year, my love began to grow. I thought first to just Minor in English with something else, but once I started I couldn’t stop. Now as a junior -soon to be senior- English Literature Major, I have access to the wide range of classes from contemporary black literature to Shakespeare and Milton or writing courses like advanced poetry and rhetoric. The department itself has seen a few faces come and go in terms of visiting professors and those on leave. Regardless, I have immense love and appreciation for everyone I have been able to connect with and sadness for those who have left onto different paths. All of the classes I’ve taken have challenged me in some way or another in terms of writing, analysis, research, diction, and or history. If I could do it all over I again I would and then once more over. I have to give gratitude towards Steven Belletto and Enrico Bruno for being the professors whom inspired me to become an English Major. Without them, I wouldn’t be as nearly successful of a student nor as happy with my life here at Lafayette College. Thank you!” -Gabriela Cristobal, English Major (Literature Concentration), Class of 2026
The English department offers Major and Minor programs in two concentrations: literature and writing.
My English Major has equipped me with exceptional confidence in my communication skills, enabling me to effectively connect with employers, professors, and peers. Beyond a solid foundation in grammar, I have honed the ability to tailor my writing to various contexts, whether composing emails to professors, providing constructive feedback on a peer’s essay, or crafting creative pieces to enhance internship applications. -Madeleine Cannon, English Major (Writing Concentration), Class of 2026
