Name: Sara Nederhoed
Position: Marketing Intern
Hometown: Kalamazoo, MI
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Tell us a little bit about your position at the press.
I am a senior at UK majoring in journalism with a double minor in English and political science. I’m graduating in May 2019. As a marketing intern here at UPK, I help the marketing staff out with things like writing press releases, creating graphics, and managing the social media accounts to help promote the books UPK releases. I started here in August at the beginning of the fall 2018 semester.
What’s one of your favorite UPK titles and why?
One of the titles that I have worked with a lot is Taking Shergar: Thoroughbred Racing’s Most Famous Cold Case written by Milton C. Toby. I think it is a very interesting story that grabbed my attention right away–a mystery about one of the most famous Thoroughbreds in the world being stolen in the middle of the night. The thieves wanted ransom for Shergar, but it was never paid. Shergar was never returned and his remains were never found. I wanted to learn more about it right after I read the description!
If someone was visiting Kentucky for the first time and you were their tour guide, where would you take them? Any specific restaurants, landmarks, etc.?
I am huge on food, so I hope my tourists are hungry. Being from Michigan, there were a lot of restaurants that I had never tried or even heard of when I came down to Lexington for school. Stop number one: Canes. I know they only have chicken tenders on the menu, but that is why I love it (and the SAUCE). Two: Local Taco. I’m not typically someone who eats tacos or anything like what Local Taco has, yet they have converted me. Southern Fried Tacos with no tomato = yum! Three: Keeneland. I have never been to a horse race before coming down here, and to me, it sets Kentucky apart. Keeneland amazes me every time I’m there.
What is your favorite word?
Ever since I was a kid, my favorite word to spell or write out has been Mississippi.
Do you have a favorite font? If so, what is it?
As a journalism major, I am very partial to the bland and boring Times New Roman. My sister, who is a graphic designer, would yell at me for that answer.
Did you always know you wanted to intern or work in publishing? When you were a kid, did you want to do something different as an adult?
I have always loved books, but never considered publishing before this internship. Since I am graduating soon, I am trying to expand my horizons and see what careers are available for me. As a kid and even into high school, I wanted to be a doctor. Something about it has always fascinated me, but alas, I found out that hard science is not my strong suit.
Why should students be interested in their local university press?
University press books are great tools, but students may not realize they exist or be as familiar with UPs/UP books as they would with books from trade publishers. Some students may not think about where their books are coming from! There are very important books being produced by authors and university presses. Keona K. Ervin’s Gateway to Equality: Black Women and the Struggle for Economic Justice in St. Louis, a title from UPK, received the 2018 Missouri History Book Award. It’s great to see the authors and books we work with get the recognition they deserve!
Students should also be interested in UPs because UPs often offer internships and may cause them to dive into a career path they have never considered before or even thought possible (like me). Plus, UPs serve their local areas and regions from within the region, which means publishing isn’t only designated to one place or one group of people—and it means that not everyone has to move to New York in order to work in publishing! (Unless you want to move to New York, because who doesn’t at one point in their life?)
Why should students support their university press? How can students support UPs?
Students should support their local university press because the books that come out are really interesting and have a lot of educational value. For example, being from a different state, I have learned a lot from the books we have published that are written about Kentucky or even by Kentucky writers. I think celebrating the fact that there is so much Kentucky has to offer in a literary sense is a great thing to show off. Students can learn so much and still support their UP just by going to events and even reading university press books that they find interesting. I first learned about UPK when one of my professors a couple years ago scheduled for us to come in and learn more about what book publishing is about and what goes into it. It was a great learning experience that a lot of students could definitely benefit from!
What have you learned during your time here, and how will you use the skills you gained as you start a career, further your education, etc.?
I have learned so much here at UPK. It is one thing to learn how to use and develop your skills needed for a career after college, but it is another to actually get to apply them to real-life situations. Writing press releases has helped me with my writing, with which I always need practice. Creating graphics and banners using creative software like Photoshop has helped me expand my design skills in order to use that in my future career when designing promotional ads or graphics. And in this day and age, social media has become a huge part of daily life whether we like it or not, and to be able to say that I know how to promote a book, author, event, or business effectively across social media is an important skill to have.
If you could bring any fictional character to life, who would you choose?
Not necessarily a character, but more of a literary universe: Harry Potter. I got into the series a lot later than most people my age, but everything about the books intrigues me.
What was the last book you read? Would you recommend it? Why or why not?
I just finished Frances Burney’s Evelina for my 18th-century “Rise of The British Novel” class and I really enjoyed it. Some twists and turns in a typical foundling narrative fashion, but the storylines we had to follow were very interesting!
What’s your favorite song to sing at karaoke and why?
A tough one because I never seem to sing the same song twice. A big one that I always enjoy other people singing is “Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks. Even if you’re not a country fan, you still sing along!
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