Aimar Galarza, originally from Villalba, Puerto Rico, is an outstanding graduate of the MPS in Publishing program, a talented writer and voice actress in both English and Spanish, and a book publicist at Pubvendo.
What advice would you give to new or prospective students to the MPS in Publishing program?
My advice to new or prospective students to the MPS in Publishing program would be to try attending most, if not all, the events that the program offers throughout the semesters, such as the Publishing CareerBuilder webinars. Also, try connecting through LinkedIn with all the guest speakers that you meet; this helps you open doors to many opportunities ahead.
One piece of advice: If you can come to GW in person, do so! It’s so rewarding to be able to engage in other GW communities and events in Foggy Bottom that you wouldn’t experience being online. I have made so many friends from different parts of the world, and I have also met fellow Latinos that I can relate with too! I’ve learned a lot from their different paths in life, and I was able to be part of lovely communities such as the GW Catholics community.
All in all, don’t be afraid of the unknown. You will never know which doors you might open.
What is the most challenging aspect of the MPS in Publishing program? What is the most rewarding?
I would say that the most challenging aspect of the MPS Publishing Program is knowing how to balance your time between full-time work and evening studies to be able to do your best in turning in projects of varying difficulties (depending on each course) every week.
The most rewarding aspect of the program is the fact that you have opportunities to network with guest speakers, classmates, and GW staff who are professionals in varying fields of the publishing industry or other types of industries. This gives you the opportunity to have a unique learning experience and opens doors to getting a job in the publishing industry.
If you can come to GW in person, do so! It’s so rewarding to be able to engage in other GW communities and events in Foggy Bottom that you wouldn’t experience being online. I have made so many friends from different parts of the world, and I have also met fellow Latinos that I can relate with too!
What do you hope to do after graduating from the MPS in Publishing program?
Now that I have graduated from the program, I will be focusing on my job as a Book Publicist and continue learning as much as I can from the publishing industry through books, articles, and the experiences that my job provides me with. I’m excited to keep in contact with all the wonderful people that I have met throughout my GW journey, and I’m also excited to read lots of books and comics on my free time. Furthermore, I will have a wedding to plan; therefore, I’m looking forward to that next stage in my life!
What are some of the reasons you decided to pursue the MPS in Publishing degree? Why did you choose GW specifically?
There were various reasons that I decided to pursue the MPS in Publishing degree specifically in GW. One of the first reasons was the diversity of courses on the business side of publishing when comparing the curriculum to other publishing programs. I knew I liked the creative aspects of the design or the development of a story but learning about how the production side of things works, how to acquire books, and even learning about how copyright works really caught my attention. Due to the constant guidance from Director and Associate Professor John Warren in explaining how the program works, this became my second reason to attend the GW MPS in Publishing. He helped me through the transition of moving to DC with helpful information on both the program and the Virginia/DC areas, which I will forever be grateful for. The third reason was knowing that Washington, DC is a great hub for networking with professionals working in different career paths that you can learn from.
Who has made the biggest impact on you during your time at GW?
Everyone that I have met during the program were big inspirations to me, such as Nicole Mintz, classmates, and professors of each course. I have learned a lot from each and every one of them, and I will forever be grateful for the knowledge and support that they have offered.
[Program Director and Professor] John Warren has made a great impact on me during my time at GW. His dedication to what he does, his guidance, and his help throughout my GW journey as a student and professional has helped me get to where I am today.
What have you found to be the value of the MPS in Publishing degree, and how are you using what you learned, as a rising publishing professional?
The value of the MPS in Publishing degree—apart from the networking side of things—is that courses provide projects and tools that anyone can use in the present for careers in publishing, marketing, or just business in general. For example, I was able to use the Strategic Prioritization tool from the Marketing Strategies course in one of my job interviews.
How are you using what you learned in your publishing courses in your day-to-day work at Pubvendo?
As a Book Publicist at Pubvendo, I am using the general knowledge of how book publishers work in their field that I learned during the first courses in MPS, such as Book and Journal Publishing, E-Pub, and Business of Publishing. I have also applied knowledge learned from my Book Publicity and Promotion course for writing pitch letters and knowing how to reach out to a specific audience.
Also, as the Editorial Committee Lead and Board Representative in the GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing, I have applied the knowledge of how to reach out to peer reviewers into my day-to-day job of reaching out to influencers or bloggers when marketing books. Every tool and piece of knowledge that the program offers are essential to succeeding as a professional.
Aimar Galarza on LinkedIn. Aimar’s Personal/Professional Website
