Jessica Cozzi FCRH ‘20: Project Manager, Publicist, Blogger, and Writer
By Emma Paolini
On Friday, March 6, 2020, Fordham English student and Creative Writing concentrator Jessica Cozzi (FCRH ‘20) took a nerve-wracking step that many other interns may recognize. She decided to approach her manager at Little, Brown and Company where she had worked for the past few weeks and asked if she could meet to discuss future employment opportunities. The two agreed to meet Monday. However, nobody could have predicted what happened next.
“There was no Monday,” says Jessica.
In the span of just a few days, classrooms shut down and offices went remote as the world adjusted to a new normal. Jessica’s manager informed her that, despite the department’s desire to hire her full-time, a new hiring freeze prevented that from happening. The best her manager could offer was an extension on the internship, with potential for full-time employment down the line. Determined not to let the opportunity slip away, Jessica agreed to continue her internship online, working remotely from her childhood home in Long Island. Jessica has continued her work from that little basement desk, and in the grainy Zoom screen through which I interview her, I can see the little room from which Jessica connects with the entire world
With the world turned upside-down, Jessica did what Creative Writing concentrators do best: she got creative. In addition to continuing her work with Little, Brown; Jessica took on a Project Manager role at Fordham English Connect where she coordinates content for the online platform. Overseeing a variety of projects, Jessica connects with English students, faculty, and alumni alike. If you have joined the hundreds-strong English Connect community, you may recognize Jessica from her posts sharing career opportunities, checking in on students’ projects, and organizing online events.
Despite her busy schedule, Jessica has taken on a third project. Surprising even herself, Jessica decided to enroll in the online MFA program at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).
“The world’s falling apart and I have the time to do it, so why not?” Jessica joked. She went on to share that she had previously considered pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts degree post-grad, but instead decided to focus on her career. However, once the COVID-19 pandemic put those career plans on hold, Jessica realized that she now had time to fully focus on earning her master’s degree. She cited her love of learning, the practical benefits of holding the highest degree in a field, and her plans to finish her novel through the program all as reasons for enrolling in SNHU’s creative writing program.
“That’s why I love this program so much. I always say, I was torn between getting a job and getting my MFA. Now I can do both,” Jessica explains.
Right now, she takes two introductory courses on writing Young Adult literature while getting to know her classmates through a discussion board where students share their love of writing and encourage one another. Because of the nature of SNHU as an online university, Jessica’s classmates span continents and age groups, coming from all walks of life. “Some have families, some are teachers, some are in the military, some are overseas… I love that environment,” Jessica explains. Despite their differences, the group shares in common one important trait: a love of writing.
One element of the MFA program, the opportunity to write and workshop a full novel, has drawn Jessica’s attention as she works on her own book. The novel, a young adult romantic comedy set in a university residence hall, was inspired by Jessica’s own experiences at Fordham. Last year, while living in Campbell Hall, Jessica and her roommates exchanged messages on dry-erase boards with an apartment full of soccer players across the hallway and made plans to get together. While the plans were unfortunately cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a Twitter thread about the exchange gained some traction among the writing community and inspired Jessica to set her novel on a college campus.
While Jessica has finished her first draft of the book, she plans to edit it over the next few months, keeping in mind the skills she learns through the MFA program. “I’m sure it won’t be the same book that it was going in,” says Jessica.
Jessica’s love of the Young Adult genre goes deeper than just her own novel, however: she also runs a blog reviewing titles in the genre along with two of her childhood best friends. The blog, The Book Bratz, has chronicled YA releases over nearly eight years and makes no plans of stopping any time soon. While juggling so many projects requires robust time-management skills, Jessica still considers the blog a labor of love. She has similar reasoning for her commitment to The Book Bratz as that for her other projects: the potential for connection.
“It’s crazy to see the lasting friendships you have,” Jessica explains, referring to other bloggers she has met online and at publishing industry events like BookExpo. “Some of these people were the first I told when I committed to the MFA.”
The Book Bratz has also helped Jessica land her internship at Little, Brown in the first place. She recalls how the blog drew the attention of her manager and has served as a powerful illustration of her love of reading. She encourages other recent grads to do the same. “My biggest advice would be to start a passion project,” shares Jessica. While she cites The Book Bratz as an interesting talking point when seeking careers in the publishing industry, Jessica believes that a passion project can help an English major’s resume stand out regardless of field.
While the future remains uncertain, like many Class of 2020 graduates, Jessica has found her routine in variety. Between her work at Little, Brown as well as Fordham English; her blog; her novel; and a graduate school program; Jessica stays busy and looks to the future, her trusty notebook keeping her swirling myriad of responsibilities in strict order. 2020 certainly requires a new mindset toward work, one that does not involve a commute or a 9-5 but does involve a strong penchant for multitasking. Driven by her dedicated attitude and desire to connect with other writers, Jessica pushes on, finding her attitude perfectly characteristic of herself. “Even in college, I’ve always wanted to try my hand at different things,” Jessica reflects. “That’s always what I’ve been like.”