M.F.A. In Nonfiction

Susette Brooks, M.F.A. ’19, is a multimedia communications strategist whose storytelling spans a career ranging from leading a team of soldier-journalists with the New Jersey Army National Guard, to further education, to nonprofit and for-profit industry. She credits Leslie Rubinkowski, the Goucher M.F.A program’s director, with creating a nurturing environment that supports students on their unique paths. Most recently, Brooks was invited to co-host the 26th annual 2024 ANA Multicultural Marketing and Diversity Conference.

What is the most rewarding part of your multicultural work? 

I grew up in a place that made it possible for me to have never been assigned books by Black, Latine, Indigenous, or Asian writers until graduate school, and many of my peers shared similar experiences. I also grew up in a place that made me feel my experiences were invisible, unusual, and irregular. So to now live in a time where I can watch advertisements that reflect my cultural experience, often bringing me to tears because I am finally seen, is humbling. This is the kind of impact I hope my work has on readers no matter what they look like, how they identify, or where they live. Books are for all of us, and to witness someone find a book that is just for them is the most rewarding part of my work. 
 
How has the Goucher network supported your goals and career? 

The M.F.A. in Nonfiction Program, under Leslie Rubinkowski’s leadership, has changed my life. And I need to be clear, this isn’t hyperbole. Leslie and her faculty have created a beautifully nurturing and enriching environment that supports and propels its students in whichever direction they want to go in. It is this environment that gave me the confidence to build relationships with classmates, such as Porscha Burke, who is a legend in the book publishing industry. I will never forget calling Porscha after graduation to see how she was doing and having an unexpected conversation about my career goals. Porscha didn’t miss a beat and suggested I apply to jobs at Penguin Random House. Four years after that fateful conversation, I’ve held three titles at the company, and Goucher is still supporting me. Leslie and the nonfiction community continue to help me unlock opportunities that expand my reach in publishing. This is the power of Goucher’s network. They find talent, educate them, empower them, and turn them into stars.
 
How do you think your perspective on learning about nonfiction was unique, knowing that you wanted to make an impact with your leadership rather than publishing your own work long term? 

When I applied to the M.F.A. in Nonfiction, I did so because I wanted to be a writer, and I wanted to learn how to write a book. However, I always intended to maintain a day job, too. I just had no idea my day job would be as a rising executive in the largest book publisher in the world! If I can be honest here, I think Goucher undersells its nonfiction program. The explicit benefit of the program is to have a book project by the end, which I now have, but what Goucher doesn't tell you is that the nonfiction program will give you so much more than a single book. 
 
My time in the M.F.A. in Nonfiction Program helped me understand that writing—which fuels marketing and communications—is fundamental to living. No matter your profession, author or executive, you have to understand what service you provide and who your audience is. And then, only through storytelling, can you explain the value proposition. This may sound crass in a room full of artists who write because their heart requires it. But storytelling is a critical part of business and life. I believe if you can tell stories, you can do anything. And Goucher taught me how to tell stories.
 
Working for one of the Big Five publishing houses, how do you feel about the future of publishing with a DEIJ lens?

I feel hopeful. At this point, everyone has seen the data and knows that we live in a multicultural society, one that is becoming more diverse year over year. If book publishing wants to survive and thrive, we need to produce stories that reflect multicultural experiences, and we need to learn—fast—how to market those stories to a changing nation. We no longer live in a monoculture, and we must keep up with the changing needs of our audiences. The alternative would be at the industry’s peril, and no one wants to see the book industry die.