Name: Susan Isaacs
Residence: The north shore of Long Island.
Profession: Isaacs is a novelist, essayist and screenwriter. She got her start as an editorial assistant at Seventeen magazine, working her way up to being a senior editor.
After giving birth to her first child, Isaacs left the magazine to stay home and eventually began writing novels. She has since published 11 novels and one work of non-fiction. Isaacs also wrote the screenplay for “Compromising Positions” in 1985 and “Hello Again” in 1987.
Year of graduation/major: Isaacs was an English major and member of the class of 1965. Although she did not graduate, she was later given an honorary degree by Queens College.
Why did you choose to attend Queens College?
Isaacs chose Queens College because of being able to attain an “education for free.” “It was really a thrilling place to go to, especially in that era,” she said.
How did Queens College prepare you for life and/or your chosen field?
“It gave me a good, solid background in literature. I went out armed with the knowledge that if I was going to make it, I was going to make it on my own. There’s no real preparation for being a novelist. You just go out with your ideas and your talents and your tenacity and I think a lot of us already had that tenacity.”
Who was your most inspiring professor or educator? Why?
Badette Solon of the economics department. She taught a course that combined history and social science source readings called Contemporary Civilization. Isaacs, who was originally an economics major, also had Solon for economics.
“She really had a gift of making economics and the social sciences exciting. At that point also it was terrific to have a woman teacher…in what was traditionally a male field.”
What is your favorite memory of Queens College?
“I think working on the student newspaper, The Phoenix. (It was) a combination of the camaraderie of being on a paper and just that they were exciting times. It was a thrilling place and I also realized the power of writing.”
What do you think is the key to having a successful career?
“Picking something you love doing.”
Have you been back to your alma mater since graduation?
Isaacs is a member of the Queens College Foundation board. She has spoken at the school a few times and said that she also goes back for some of the concerts on campus. Isaacs also said that she will be giving a speech during this year’s commencement ceremonies.
Name: Laurie Younger
Where do you currently live? Los Angeles, California
Profession: Younger is currently the president of Buena Vista Worldwide Television, a position she has held since February of 2003. In that role, Younger is responsible for “domestic and international distribution of the far-reaching portfolio of creative content produced by The Walt Disney Company.” Younger has been with The Walt Disney Company since 1985. “It’s been a wonderful, wonderful career,” she said.
Year of graduation/major: 1973 with a degree in speech pathology.
Why did you choose Queens College?
It was close to where Younger grew up in Briarwood and her brother also attended the school. She also said she “really wasn’t given any options” by her parents.
How did Queens College prepare you for life and/or your chosen field?
“I got a very well-rounded, basically liberal arts education and that’s a great foundation.”
Who was your most inspiring professor or educator? Why?
Although Younger didn’t have a specific name that came to mind, she did say that she had an education professor and a speech professor who she like a lot.
Younger also said that what she took away from her time at Queens College was a strong work ethic.
What is your favorite memory of Queens College?
“It’s more the people that I met there that are the best memory of it,” said Younger, who met her best friend while taking an English entrance exam. The two have been “lifelong friends ever since.”
Also among some of Younger’s most memorable moments at Queens College are being there the semester the Kent State shootings happened. Following it, she said there was a big peace march and remembers having classes on the lawn where they discussed what happened.
Have you been back to your alma mater since graduation?
“I went back for the first time I think last year,” Younger said. “I was surprised by how much I didn’t remember. It was interesting. It was a flashback.”
While visiting Queens College, Younger met with the school’s president and spoke with a group of students. She said that she will probably go back and speak with students again at some point.
