2024 RSA Winner Mandee Loney on Expanding Education and Experience
- Bay Area Women in Publishing
- Jun 19
- 2 min read
I was introduced to BAWiP by an alum from my university, and I was so excited to see a community dedicated to supporting marginalized groups in the editing and publishing industry.
As a recent college graduate, I was struggling to figure out where to go next in my career, and finding a community like this was very exciting to me!
I was a freshman in college when the pandemic hit, and I ended up going to school online for a year and a half. During that time I rekindled my love for reading, and I began to consider if my current major was still what I truly wanted. I was no longer as sure about my career path, but I just felt stuck and unsure of my future—or the future of the world, for that matter.
I decided to stick with my degree and get a minor in English instead of switching, so I feel that I am not as experienced as I should be. I have applied to lots of jobs and internships, and have received many, many rejections. The common thread has been a lack of experience, so I decided that I wanted to find a program to take my experience to the next level. I found UC Berkeley Extension online, which has a professional certificate in editing and publishing.
When I saw the application for the Robin Seaman Award, I knew that this was an opportunity to finally get the experience that I needed. I told the committee about my background and need for more education on my application, and I was awarded money for three out of the four courses required to complete my certificate. I am now almost halfway through my certificate, and I could not have done it without the generosity of the Seaman family and BAWiP.
In my courses, I have had the opportunity to learn from successful women in the editing and publishing industry, and I am excited to continue to learn more!
UC Berkeley Extension has provided me with the grammar tools necessary to build a successful editorial career, and I am so grateful to BAWiP for the funds to continue my education.
About the author:
Mandee Loney is a recent graduate of Loyola University New Orleans, and moved to the Bay to start her life with her girlfriend and cat, Corn. Mandee is an aspiring editor, most recently interning with the New Orleans Review. She will be using the funds to take editorial classes at UC Berkeley Extension to get an editorial certificate and make more connections in the Bay!
