Jake Vincel '20
BA English Honors Program
When Jake Vincel came to Stony Brook University after studying for two years at the
Boston Conservatory, he was unsure whether he would find a community on this new and
much larger campus. Reflecting on his senior year spent completing his English Honors
Program thesis, serving as Assistant Director in the Writing Center and performing
with the University Orchestra, it’s evident he did. Jake shares his experience and
advice to other Seawolves.
On Stony Brook University:
I moved to Stony Brook from Ronkonkoma when I was five years old. The University was
always a part of my life in some way, more so as a part of my environment than as
an academic institution. As a kid, the soccer fields were so close they may as well
have been my backyard, and the campus was a popular spot for dog walks and jogs with
my friends.
Despite growing up in Stony Brook, I actually transferred to the English program at
SBU after spending two years at the Boston Conservatory as a music major. I was initially
quite nervous, my alma mater having had a very small student body and no campus at
all. But the English faculty members here make a genuine effort to establish individual
connections with students, and the school very quickly felt a lot smaller and close-knit,
which made me feel a lot more comfortable.
On his major:
My primary interest is in modernist literature, particularly James Joyce, though I
generally enjoy a variety of literary genres and styles; most recently I have been
exploring biopolitics in contemporary American literature. The relationship that writers
have with the language in which they write is something that really interests me.
My undergraduate honors thesis examines Joyce’s almost antithetical relationship with
language as expressed in Dubliners, his first published collection of short stories.
Advice for future Seawolves:
As I approach graduation, I can’t help but look back and appreciate how much I’ve
grown, academically and otherwise. If I could offer one piece of advice to aspiring
or upcoming Seawolves, it would be that, while college is undoubtedly a huge change,
it is a change for everyone. Your peers—commuters and residents, transfers and traditional
students—are feeling it alongside you, and, while the transition may be tough at times,
you are never alone in it.
Plans for post-graduation:
Currently, I intend on pursuing my PhD and teaching literature at a college level.
I will be returning to Stony Brook in the fall to begin my MA in English. For as much
as I have grown in my undergrad, I am certain that I have a lot more to learn at Stony
Brook, and I could not be more excited to continue my study here!