Lorraine Hallet '24
Cum Laude
BA/MA English Literary Studies
Minor in Journalism
Pronouns: She/her

Where are you originally from?
I grew up in South Brooklyn, more specifically in an area called Bensonhurst. I also very proudly come from a mixed background of Ukrainian and Jamaican. 

On Stony Brook:
The primary reason I wanted to go here was because I knew it was a renowned university that is also public and would be affordable for my family. I also was interested in being an astronomer at the time and it was one of the best places to go for the sciences.

On her major:
Originally, I was an astronomy major, but after being inspired by an introductory journalism class, I decided to add it as a minor and change my major to English, as I realized the humanities are where I could really thrive.

On her degree:
I'm graduating with a BA this year, but I'm also currently in the English BA/MA program, so I will graduate with my MA next year as well.

Favorite class:
Honestly, all of my English courses were eye opening in their own respective ways and allowed me to critically think about people, culture, class, race, the world, etc. In particular, the classes I've taken with Professor Johnston and Professor Brioni from the English Department that dealt with post/de-colonial narratives really inspired my focus as a student.

Interests and accomplishments:
I've been a proud member of Alpha Nu Zeta, the school's English Honors Society, for multiple years and served as the treasurer this year, and meeting the people there is one of my most memorable college experiences. It was beyond a pleasure to work and collaborate with such bright and kind people who share a love for the art of literature. Additionally, getting into the BA/MA program was a pivotal step in my academic career that really allowed me to take myself more seriously as a potential scholar. Going into my first grad class I was a little intimidated, but that faded quickly as my love for literature, analysis, and theory only grew in those spaces. 

Greatest Achievement:
Developing the ability to just be confident in my own subjectivity in terms of what I can bring to the table academically, has not only made me more self-assured, but led to me being able to form my own unique ideas and perspectives that I can progress, defend, and spread without worrying if they will be received by whoever my audience is.

Awards and Accolades:
Graduating Cum Laude and collaborating with a professor on a possibly peer-reviewed translational study guide.

Career Aspirations:
It is my dream to be a college professor one day, not just because I never want to stop learning and fostering new modes of knowledge, but also because I think it's extremely important for college students to see professors they can relate to more. Whether it be in ethnic, socioeconomic, or philosophical terms, representation is a very undermined factor in all departments of universities that can make or break the drive in a student who is not 'assimilated' into academic spaces. 

Plans for post-graduation:
After I write my master's thesis and graduate next year, I plan to start applying to PhD programs with a specificity in contemporary decolonial epistemologies.

Clubs or organizations:
-Alpha Nu Zeta (ANZ)

Advice for potential Seawolves?
Try your absolute best to discover what interests YOU, and make sure it interests you because it awakens something within you, not because it suits someone else's interests or financial standards. Once you find what really drives you, things become much clearer.

Favorite SBU memory:
Last year I had a 12-15 minute presentation in my first ever English graduate class on an article about postcolonial theory that I was petrified for. Yet, once I started the words just poured out because I was so passionate about what I was saying, and the presentation lasted for nearly 30 minutes. It was then I knew for sure I wanted to be a professor, as public speaking wasn't so daunting anymore since I had a better grasp of the perspective I bring.

Parting Throughts:

Wilbur Farley, a lecturer in the Program in Writing and Rhetoric, once said something to my class that changed my outlook forever: "There is no truth. Everything is relative."