Catching Up With Alumni | Shayna Lewis (MA ALDS/21)
We recently caught up with Shayna Lewis, who graduated with a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies in 2021.
Before joining the School of Linguistics and Language Studies, Shayna served as a communications officer in non-profit organizations and government departments. Her MA thesis, titled “A Systemic Functional Linguistic Analysis of Teen Dialogue In Teen Films of Different Ratings,” was nominated for a university medal recognizing outstanding graduate work.
Learn more about what Shayna has been up to and how her time in SLaLS shaped her journey, and find some words of advice for SLaLS students below.
What Shayna Has Been Up To
Shayna started a job as a ghostwriter shortly after graduating from Carleton University.
“Through this opportunity, I was able to write books of various lengths and genres, which allowed me to gain many valuable experiences,” Shayna shares. “After a few years, I sought to broaden my professional horizons, and in August of 2024, I began my current job as a publishing manager for a custom publishing house.”
“I’m now able to see a book through all stages of creation, from conceptualization to release and everything in between. It’s an amazing environment and I’m so grateful to be a part of it!”
Shayna’s Experience in SLaLS
“My degree and experience in SLaLS played an essential role in my career trajectory,” Shayna shares. “For starters, in order to even apply for my ghostwriting job, I was required to have written a document that was 30,000 words in length; lo and behold, my master’s thesis was almost exactly 30,000 words long.”
“As a ghostwriter, I needed to adapt my voice and writing style to suit the needs of my clients, and the training I received—particularly studying Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL)—gave me an amazing toolkit to work from.”
“Then, it was partially due to my ghostwriting experience that allowed me to apply for my publishing manager role, having worked in the book world for a few years,” she shares. “My current role requires me to ensure that every client’s book is tailor-made to meet their goals, which involves capturing the voice of my clients through various texts.”
Words of Advice for SLaLS Students
“Embrace and lean into the qualities that make you different,” Shayna advises. “Having not come from a linguistics background, I was intimidated by this master’s program, feeling like I had a clear gap in knowledge.”
“While I learned so much from my peers and professors along the way, I also realized that my differing experiences caused me to see things through a unique lens that contributed new insights to academic discussions. It was also this uniqueness that prepared me to pursue a path that I never knew was possible before my master’s, and I’m really loving this road.”
“SLaLS is a fantastic school, and I’m forever grateful for my time here!”
Interested in learning more about our programs?
Visit our Programs and Course Offerings page to learn about the undergraduate and graduate programs that we offer here in the School of Linguistics and Language Studies.
Are you a SLaLS graduate?
We would love to know what you have been up to! Check out our Alumni page to meet our amazing graduates and to learn more about how to stay connected with the SLaLS community.