<p><span class="p-body">Scholastic’s office enchants visitors at first sight. The only big publishing house dedicated exclusively to children’s books, Scholastic is home to iconic titles such as The Hunger Games, Dog Man, and Clifford the Big Red Dog. &nbsp;On a recent industry visit, NYU SPS <a href="https://www.sps.nyu.edu/explore/degrees-and-programs/ms-in-publishing.html">MS in Publishing</a> students entered through a colorful lobby featuring a bookshelf-themed reception desk and a canvas with an illustration of the Mockingjay Pin worn by Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games series. On the way to the elevator, a statue of Captain Underpants suspended above a set of stairs served as a background for pictures.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">The literary references go beyond the decoration. We met in the Katniss conference room, named after Suzanne Collins’ fierce protagonist. There, we were gifted two tote bags full of new releases, including <i>The Dead of Summer</i> by Ryan La Sala and <i>The Last Resort</i> by Erin Entrada Kelly. We also participated in a discussion panel with several of Scholastic’s leaders, who told us more about their career trajectories, their current work, and how they are helping the house grow.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">Jackie DeLeo, chief merchant and publisher, recalled her early publishing days in San Diego to exemplify how nontraditional paths can lead to great jobs in the industry. She highlighted the importance of saying “yes” to opportunities when they pop up.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">“You can reach different spots from a lot of different places,” she said.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">Assistant Editor Anjali Bisaria, for example, gained insight into what eventually became her job at Scholastic with the help of a LinkedIn connection. Now working in middle grade and YA, she described the job of an editor as an “in-house advocate for your authors and projects,” and noted that she was surprised by the public speaking aspect of the job.</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">Sasha Quinton, executive vice president, noted the importance of Scholastic’s iconic fairs and clubs, which&nbsp; allow kids to choose books on their own. This helps the publisher to understand what children are genuinely interested in.</span></p>

<p>Director of Field Accounts Dan Moser talked about the role of the sales department, referring to it as “the sun that the house orbits around.” He explained that sales’ exposure to the work of all the other departments makes it a great place to start a publishing career, as it provides wide knowledge of the industry.</p> <p>Austin Reynolds, who was also our tour guide, shared insights about his position as director of strategic planning in the entertainment division. The objective of the division is to create new ways in which adults and kids can interact with the publisher's iconic characters through films and animated series.&nbsp;</p> <p>After the panel, we continued our tour of the building, eventually arriving in a room decorated with framed covers of The Western Pennsylvania Scholastic, the magazine that started it all. Admiring the more than 40 colorful designs—an illustrated archive of the company’s legacy—we saw how Scholastic transitioned from print magazine to book publisher.&nbsp;</p> <p>As a person who grew up reading Scholastic books, I was mesmerized by the office and left the visit feeling inspired by the knowledge that no matter what path one takes to Scholastic the objective remains the same: to bring the highest-quality children’s books to the world.</p> <p><i>Rafael Cruvinel is a second-year student at the MS in Publishing program. His favorite genres are literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, and YA romance. He has interned at the Whitney Museum of American Art and the New York University Press.</i></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>