University of Southern Mississippi students interested in pursuing a career in publishing are invited to hear a panel of editors from the University Press of Mississippi (UPM) discuss their careers and how to get careers in publishing in a discussion at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday in R.C. Cook Union, Room B on the Hattiesburg campus.

The panel, composed of recent college graduates, will recount experiences transitioning from humanities scholars to publishers and will elaborate on how publishing achieves scholarly communication. The panel will share information on the McRae Publishing Internship, an intern program for students interested in publishing.

After the program prospective authors and scholars will have the ability to talk directly with the editors and learn more about University Press – the state’s sole university press under the auspices of all its public universities.

“This terrific program will give our students an opportunity to learn how they can explore career paths in publishing,” said David Davies, director of the USM School of Mass Communication and Journalism and a member of the UPM Board of Directors. “Given the success of the University Press, its editors are well-positioned to mentor our students into this exciting field.”

Publishers on the panel include Emily Snyder Bandy, Courtney McCreary, Lisa McMurtray and Steve Yates.

Bandy earned her BA in English Literature and Justice, Faith & Culture from Belmont University. She taught eighth grade U.S. history at a charter school in south Nashville before moving to Jackson in 2015. She writes curriculum for Shmoop, Inc. and is currently assistant to the Director at University Press of Mississippi (UPM).

McCreary earned her BA and MA in English from Mississippi State University. She has worked as the Marketing Assistant at the UPM from 2011 to the present.

McMurtray earned her BA and MA in English from Mississippi State University and her MFA in creative writing from Florida State University. She taught freshman English at the college level for five years, and her poems have appeared in The Cincinnati Review, Ninth Letter, West Branch and The Journal. Since 2015, she has been an Editorial Assistant at UPM.

Yates earned his BA in English literature at Missouri State University and his MFA in creative writing from the University of Arkansas. He worked for the University of Arkansas Press from 1994 to 1998 and the University Press of Mississippi from 1998 to the present. On a Whiting Fellowship, he worked a week at New York University Press. He is now Associate Director/Marketing Director at UPM.

For more information, email Dr. Davies at [email protected].