English Department Student Explores the Publishing Industry

October 3, 2025

During the summer of 2025, English Department undergraduate student Eli Moss attended the NYU Summer Publishing Institute (SPI) to learn more about the publishing industry.

“I knew I wanted to go into publishing, but I also had heard that it’s a competitive industry that can be hard to break into, so I figured that SPI would be a good way to start gaining some knowledge and making some connections,” Eli comments. “Plus, I knew New York City was the center of publishing and if I got a job with one of the Big 5 publishers, there was a good chance that it would bring me to New York.”

The four-week summer intensive has been running for 45 years, bringing industry pros to speak to recent college graduates, rising college seniors, and early professionals. Students are also able to earn college credit. In the institute, attendees attended sessions every day with topics ranging from copyediting to cover design to podcasting.

“We heard from tons of people in all different sectors and departments of the publishing industry, so it was a really great way to be exposed to a little bit of everything and know what was out there,” Eli reflects. “Even though I went into the program wanting to go into editorial and I left the program with editorial still as my top choice, I now know I’m also interested in applying for managing editorial and contracts positions.”

Eli says the experience was also influential because of all the connections he built: “Building up this network, as well as being given advice on how to continue building my network, will be super important in applying for jobs because the industry is so small that a lot of stories of how people get their first job is based on who they know.”

In addition to on-campus learning, attendees of the program also have the opportunity to visit book, digital media, magazine, and technology companies, as well as independent bookstores.

“I can wholly recommend SPI to other students—I have no regrets. Anyone who is interested in a career in media or book publishing should definitely consider applying for SPI because it gives you a lot of knowledge, experience, and connections,” Eli says. “Plus, it’s just a lot of fun hanging out in New York City for a month with a lot of new friends with similar interests!”