Western New England University students in Linda Oleksak’s Children’s and Young Adult Literature course (ENG 339-52) had a unique opportunity on Monday, February 3, to learn from one of their own—WNE alumna Cynthia DiFilippo Elomaa ‘94, a children’s author, freelance editor, mentor, and member of the Association of Rhode Island Authors.
During her presentation, Ms. Elomaa shared her journey to becoming a published author and her experiences in the literary world. In January 2024, the first book in her Nicky picture book series, Nicky’s Very Messy Room, was published. To support educators and parents, Ms. Elomaa has also developed educational worksheets that accompany the Nicky series for use in classrooms.
Ms. Elomaa’s presentation focused on the important decisions and challenges she faced along the path to publication while encouraging students to identify strategies for achieving success as developing writers. Her candid discussion about her setbacks and how she embraced them resonated deeply with the students.
"I thought it was really cool that our guest speaker is an alum," said Dakota, a student in the course. "It makes it easier for us to connect and relate with her. Something that stuck with me was how she was so open about her struggles and setbacks and how she embraced them to get to where she is now. It was lovely hearing about her journey!"
Nicole, another student, reflected on how encouraging the talk was: "I really enjoyed our guest speaker and found it helpful to hear her journey to becoming an author. I found it encouraging to hear her struggles because it showed me that I do not need to have everything figured out right now, but that with hard work, I'll find the right path for me."
Ms. Elomaa’s visit aligns with the College of Arts and Sciences' strategic goal of connecting current students with alumni to foster professional networking and career development. This collaboration was made possible thanks to Gina Moore of WNE’s Director of Development who facilitated the connection with Ms. Elomaa.
WNE is proud to provide students with experiences that build meaningful connections with alumni, preparing them for the next steps in their professional journeys.
For more information about Cynthia DiFilippo Elomaa and her work, visit her website: https://cynthiadifilippoelomaa.com.
