FieldAR2023OnlineAll11.13 - Magazine - Page 20
ALUMNI
Making
a
Dif f erence
Embracing Curiosity and Creativity
Elizabeth Alsop ’97, Ph.D.
“Paths don’t go in a straight line,” says Dr. Elizabeth Alsop ‘97. “Field gets that.”
Continuing on her love of learning from Field, Elizabeth attended Brown University where she earned
her B.A. in Comparative Literature and went on to complete her Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from
The Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY). She is an Assistant Professor and Director
of the Communication and Media Department at CUNY, School of Professional Studies.
Elizabeth writes for both academic and popular audiences. She recently completed a book about the
films of comedian Elaine May, which will be published by the University of Illinois Press. Her essays
about film, television, and popular culture have appeared in The Atlantic,
The New York Times Magazine, Chronicle of Higher Education, and the L.A.
Review of Books, among other publications.
“There is a resourcefulness at Field; you have to take charge
of your education, which helps you throughout your life.”
~Elizabeth Alsop ‘97
Field gave her “a sense of the life of the mind. But also, of wanting to have creative practice. Whatever
I was going to do for a profession, I needed a creative side too.” That philosophy influenced her career
path. After attending Brown University, she moved to New York and became an editorial assistant.
Later, she worked for the food editor at Vogue, researching, traveling, and even testing recipes. After
a stint editing for Martha Stewart, Elizabeth earned a Ph.D. in comparative literature.
“Field gave me the space I needed to explore,” Elizabeth says. She recounts being in Martin Doherty’s
art class during her freshman year at Field. The class had students of different ability levels and
different ages. “But it wasn’t a competition,” she says. “At Field, Elizabeth Ely crafted a learning
community where you could be in different places, but also appreciate where someone else was on
their journey. Learning is not a zero-sum game.”
Her advice to others encourages a similar mentality: “Embrace where you are. Be curious. Whatever
opportunities you have, get what you can from it. Just lean into what feels right.”