English Department's Student Testimonials

A Collection of Student Testimonials Throughout the Years.

"Overall, I have been more than lucky to have been welcomed in such a wonderful and supportive community of professors and peers as well as to have taken courses that have made me not only a better student but also a better person."

Mahira Rahman (Class of 2025)

Mahira Full Testimonial

"I believe no other degree in any other discipline is as valuable as an English degree because of what goes into an English program."

Nigel Persaud (Class of 2024)

Nigel Full Testimonial

“The English Department at York College didn’t just teach me how to write—it prepared me to succeed well beyond the classroom.”

Irshaad Ishmail (Class of 2015)

Irshaad Full Testimonial

Mahira Rahman (Class of 2025)

My name is Mahira Rahman and I graduated in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. The English department at York College has supported me and inspired me as an aspiring English professor. The many supportive professors and classes that I have taken shaped me as a lifelong reader and writer. It is hard to just list one class or professor that has shaped me as a student in the English department here at York College, but I can consider Prof. Linda Grasso, Prof. Andie Silva, Prof. Julian Dean and Prof. Patricia Milanes to be my mentors. I am currently planning to enroll in the Masters of Liberal Arts program where I hope to concentrate on Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. I hope to continue my research with Professor Grasso on American Women’s Autobiography. I hope to then apply for my PhD in English with my final goal being a professor. The English department at York College has prepared me in many different settings through my 4 years of being an undergraduate student. Overall, I have been more than lucky to have been welcomed in such a wonderful and supportive community of professors and peers as well as to have taken courses that have made me not only a better student but also a better person.

Nigel Persaud (Class of 2024)

York College’s English Department, specifically Professor Milanes, Professor Cope, and Professor Papa, impacted me positively by helping me become a more diverse and critical reader. Professor Patricia Milanes had a significant impact on me, and to this day I consider her my mentor as far as reading and writing are concerned. Her passion for the written word and deep understanding of the relationship between history and literature galvanized me into becoming a critical educator and reader. Today, I am a social studies teacher and life-long reader and bibliophile, and the training I received during my time as an English major at York College helped me to become a more critical and analytical reader and writer. This directly affects the work I do with my own students and helps me in other areas of academic study I am currently involved in, which include theological and biblical research, historical research, poetry writing, and short story composition. I believe no other degree in any other discipline is as valuable as an English degree because of what goes into an English program. A person who can critically and analytically engage with any piece of writing is a person who can learn and do anything in life.Nigel PersaudSocial Studies TeacherMSED, B.S., B.A.

Irshaad Ishmail (Class of 2015)

The English Department at York College played a major role in shaping who I am both professionally and personally. One professor in particular, Professor Namphy, had a lasting impact on me. His dedication to teaching went far beyond the classroom and truly changed the way I approached writing and learning. Prof. Namphy’s level of care was so generous and showed me that he was very committed to bringing out the best in his students. Today, I am a Talent Acquisition Manager for a staffing agency in Midtown Manhattan. While this career may not seem directly connected to an English degree, the skills I learned at York directly translated into my professional life and are essential in the corporate world. I gained skills like being able to confidently articulate my ideas and hold my own in collaborative settings among many more. The skills I developed in the English Department have been invaluable and I would encourage every student to take English classes that emphasize discussion and to actively participate in them. Without being an English major, I don’t believe I would have ever developed these abilities in the same way. The English Department at York College didn’t just teach me how to write—it prepared me to succeed well beyond the classroom.