Interview with Professor Georgia Gelmis by Sambidha Bhandari (’26)

I had the honor of speaking with someone from the department who has inspired many and still continues to do so today: Professor Georgia Gelmis. She’s more than a teacher and a tutor—she is an exemplary person who pushes you to change your strategies in writing while respecting your ideas.

Question 1: If I was a stranger that you met at a bookstore, how would you introduce yourself with 3 adjectives and 3 sentences? How do you identify? What are you doing these days? 

To a stranger, I would like to give myself positive and realistic adjectives. I think I would say “friendly,” “creative,” and “organized.” For three sentences about myself: I am both very shy and very outgoing in different contexts. I am good at making decisions decisively and quickly. I value both alone time and time in the community. I identify as a strong, independent woman, a teacher, an aspiring writer, and a devout Catholic. Recently I have been pursuing spiritual studies and religious practices while working on myself. I have also been enjoying reading books by author E.L. Doctorow, who funnily enough is my “literary grandfather” because my first writing teacher was his student. 

Question 2: You are originally from New York but went to graduate school in Florida. Why did you or what made you travel away for your education?

I did my undergraduate studies here in New York, but when it came time for my graduate program I wanted to do something different. I wanted to go as far away as I could and I wanted to make sure I could teach, and that led me to the University of Florida. This was a state university with over fifty thousand students and a famous football team known as the Florida Gators. After completing my degree, I stayed and worked for the University for three years before I missed New York enough to move back. 

Question 3: In college, what did you major in? And what do you specialize in?

At Barnard, I majored in English with a concentration in Writing and a minor in Environmental Science. I took all the literature classes and wrote a lit thesis for my final year as well as a novella for my writing class. I was also blessed to work with two different writing mentors, Mary Gordon and Caryl Phillips, who were both important influences. For my Environmental Science minor, I did a semester abroad under the glass biodome in the Biosphere 2 Center in Arizona, which was pretty interesting since it was once used by scientists to experiment with the potential living conditions on Mars. For my master’s degree, I did an M.F.A. in Creative Writing specializing in Fiction. In terms of teaching, I focus on helping students to organize their thought processes. I feel like whatever the material is, the main aspect is the approach to the question, learning how to think about it, how to ask questions about it and how to analyze it, then implementing strategies for writing organized thoughts. I’m working on a memoir right now.

Question 4: If not New York, would you settle anywhere else?

If not New York, I would probably settle in a big city like maybe Chicago or LA. I feel safer in big-city settings, at least in the U.S. Wherever there is activity and diversity, I’m safe and happy. 

Question 5: Since you have been in New York for a while now, what is your go-to snack at a deli?

My personal favorite is egg and turkey bacon on a roll.

Question 6: If you had a superpower, would you like to go back in time or to see the future?

You ask good questions! I have gained a priceless appreciation for this present moment in life, and while I can see pleasure in both the scenarios you mention, I would still choose neither. I would not want to change anything from the past, but at the same time I wouldn’t want to relive it, and the future is a surprise that I will get to eventually. 

Question 7: What is your favorite literature book and why?

My favorite literature book is The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon. It is a short novel written in the 1960’s, and it is so perfectly crafted. Every single word in the story works with every other. It is so fascinating to see how Pynchon’s mind worked. In the book, every joke and every line is connected inside the story. Everything also works on more than one level, making it an impressive feat for a fiction writer in thinking about how nothing is here by accident and everything has a reason to be plotted. I would say The Great Gatsby is also a nice read.

Question 8: I found your book entitled Calypso. Can you share with us how long the process of writing was and what inspired you to write this book?  

Honestly, it took me 10 years to complete that book. I got stuck in a time warp which left me with a lesson. The process started as a short story from my master’s thesis collection. The short story was written within an hour. It made me happy, satisfied, and inspired. While moving along and trying to make it a novel, I kept on obsessively re-writing it. During the pandemic, I had been trying to publish it for 2 years and no one would take it on as a project, so I took a leap to self-publish it via Amazon. In this journey, I’ve learned that even projects that you are super invested in have to have a finish point, even if it means you have to forcefully end or release it. It is time to move on to the next big project.

Question 9: As an ACES tutor, how were you impacted by the various students with different backgrounds? Did it change perspectives in your mind? 

I have learned about the world through all the ACES students. Aside from perhaps travelling there is no better way to understand the world than to talk to people who have different experiences. Experience always triumphs over academic learning. Students come here to ACES from every continent, with widely different backgrounds, from socio-economic and political to cultural and religious. I’ve gained respect for the commendable bravery of these young people who leave their home countries and take a leap of faith towards the future. Students at ACES have a positively inspiring attitude toward learning and appreciate opportunities, which has always given me hope. People deserve chances and they deserve support, and it is a privilege to be able to support them.

Question 10: As a writer and an ACES tutor, what is your advice to aspiring writers in the area of story writing?

The writing industry is competitive, so my first advice would be to take your writing at your own pace and do not compare yourself to other people’s successes. For the writing process: focus on what you are doing, do not look to the right or left and do not talk, just do.

Question 11: If you weren’t a writer and a teacher, what career path would you take?

At this point I do not think I would like to change my path, but I will tell you the dream I once had. I wanted to become a police detective, but I was told by my parents that it was too dangerous and not appropriate for me. What I wanted was to solve cases, and now in another sense I am doing that because each student is a different case and I try to figure them out. At another time, I wanted to be a Catholic priest, and again they told me “you can be a nun but not a priest” and I didn’t want that. But now, when I look back, I believe that teaching was my calling because it has been the most fulfilling part of my life, much more than writing. 

Question 12: What is a message you’d like to pass on for anyone who reads this?

Tomorrow is a new chance, whatever it is do not give up.