"Yes, I was an English major," laughs Jon Pineda ('94). "It's the major which everyone inevitably asks you, 'What are you going to do with that?'" Pineda was back in the 'Burg in April to show JMU students just what you can do with an English major. JMU English professor Laurie Kutchins used Pineda's debut collection of poetry, Birthmark, as the text for her spring 2004 poetry course. Pineda read from his works, signed books and was the keynote speaker at the Graduate Studies in English Conference. "My love for poetry began, in many ways, at JMU and was fostered by the professors in the English department," says Pineda. "To have my collection make its way into the classroom, with the potential for inspiring younger writers, is truly an honor. … The students had some great questions about my book and the process of writing. I was definitely impressed. But, I remember signing the
first copy and thinking, 'Don't mess up! This isn't your copy!' It's funny, but you suddenly become aware that, though you've spent years working on the collection, it's not really yours anymore. In a way, you've given it to the world."

Jon Pineda ('94),
English major, poet, author
www.jonpineda.com