ABOUT US
Who We Are
Susquehanna University Press operates as a publisher, student learning lab, and small business.
We are in the unique position of being affiliated with the Department of English and Creative Writing and the Sigmund Weis School of Business. We focus equally on the creative and business sides of the publishing industry, including editorial, design, writing, marketing, and entrepreneurial skillsets. Students practice copyediting, layout, and cover design, alongside product development, pricing, publicity, sales, and basic accounting.
What We Publish
We specialize in book-length literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. We also publish limited-edition, handcrafted mini books.
We look for work that will appeal to our local, regional, and university communities. We spend at least a year on each project and aim to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind books and products. We take a special interest in debut authors and projects that contribute to our mission of increasing diversity, equity, inclusion, and transparency within the publishing industry.
Our blog functions as a space to discuss current issues within creative writing, publishing, editing, and bookselling.
Our History
Susquehanna University Press was founded in 1944 with the help of a generous donation from Dr. Frederic Brush, an author, philanthropist, and retired physician from White Plains, NY. From 1946-1956, he published three books of essays and poems with the press. Brush took a particular interest in forestry, conservation, and preserving the literature and lore of the Susquehanna River Valley. In 1945, SU granted him an honorary Doctor of Letters degree.
Initially, the Press focused on academic work written by SU faculty. Each spring, they released Susquehanna Studies, a scholarly journal that was distributed to colleges and libraries across the country.
In 1981, the Press chose to affiliate with Associated University Presses, a publishing company that handled all production, marketing, distribution, legal, and financial responsibilities. The Press’s focus broadened to scholarly book-length manuscripts, with a particular interest in the humanities and social sciences. When AUP ceased production in 2010, the editorial board decided to go on an indefinite hiatus.
In 2022, the Press relaunched under the direction of Dr. Jess Jelsma Masterton, Assistant Professor of Publishing and Media Entrepreneurship, with a focus on trade and regional publishing. Susquehanna University undergraduates became integral players in the Press’s operations, serving as interns and editorial assistants.
In 2024, the Press hired its first full-time, post-graduate position with the support of Susquehanna University’s Innovation Center and CORE Susquehanna AmeriCorps.
OUR MISSION
The last sixty years have seen a dramatic transformation of the publishing and bookselling industries. While superstores and online retailers have greatly increased book availability, they have also amassed a concerning amount of power. Likewise, the consolidation of mid-sized publishers has streamlined business operations at the expense of authors and labor conditions. In a business with inherently low profit margins, publishers and retailers have increasingly prioritized the short- over the long-term.
Susquehanna University Press aims to explore new, more sustainable models of publishing and bookselling. We serve as both a professional training program and a center for critical thought and innovation. We combine traditional and contemporary methods with the goal of meaningfully engaging with our campus, local, and regional communities. We want to empower future writers, editors, designers, and business owners by emphasizing necessary marketing, management, and entrepreneurial skillsets. We hope to spark new conversations about the intersection between art, politics, labor, and business.
THE TEAM
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Dr. Jess Jelsma Masterton
DIRECTOR
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Ellie Pasquale
OUTREACH COORDINATOR
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Sarah Ledet
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
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Maggie Mauro
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
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