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Brighton grad writes her first book
By Terri Green/Messenger Post Correspondent
Four years ago, Brighton native and 1999 Brighton High School graduate Ellen Rubinstein was worrying about making it to class on time and what colleges to visit.
Today she is a senior at Columbia University, and she's focused more on marketing her recently published book, "Scoring a Great Internship."
Nearly a year ago, Rubinstein, daughter of Brighton residents Roger and Karen Rubinstein, wrote an essay for Natavi Guides, publisher of a Students Helping Students series of books. Her essay was about not being able to find the right guy in college.
"I didn't know if I had something to say, but I like to hear myself talk, so I guess that's why I'm a writer," Rubinstein said.
The Students Helping Students Series is a series of guides for high school and college students. Each guide is written and edited exclusively by current college students and recent graduates, and contains what they feel is the most relevant and helpful advice.
Months after her essay submission, Rubinstein heard back from the publishers, who were impressed with her writing and her internship experience. They approached her and asked her to be their writer for a book on finding and making the most from an internship.
"I was asked to write this book on finding an internship, and here I was stuck. I couldn't find my own internship!" Rubinstein said.
Fortunately, before the book was due, she found what she calls her "most structured," internship experience: her present assignment at Simon & Schuster publishing company.
Rubinstein also had two previous internships, one in high school with a local magazine, "Blue Jean Magazine."
Once in college, she spent the summer after her sophomore year with HBO Family productions.
"I got to see what a corporate environment was like," she says of her mostly administrative work experience.
Natavi Guides, the publisher of the series, finds primary writers for each book. According to Rubinstein, Natavi gives the writer a structure for the guide – what the book is, and what the book is not.
Sara Hoerdeman of the independent publishers group that publishes the Students Helping Students series, said, "Ellen's book is filled with practical suggestions and students' first-hand accounts that help college students find, apply for, and score a great internship.
"It offers specific suggestions on what to look for in good internships, how to make wise industry contacts, how to build a strong resume, how to ace the interview, and how to get the most out of the internship."
Rubinstein credits her dedication to pursuing her dreams in part to the encouragement of a number of teachers she had in Brighton.
"I had some fantastic teachers while at Brighton, especially English," says Rubinstein. "Mary Ann Satter, my high school English teacher, she was so much fun, and just so supportive ... she's really been the biggest influence on me."
Rubinstein never planned, or even hoped for her publishing debut to happen so quickly. She hopes to continue and expand her writing career following graduation.
"I was always the kid in the corner reading while everyone else went on with their activities," Rubinstein said.
She said she has always known that writing was her calling. She is finishing up her final year at Columbia with majors in both English and east Asian studies.
Rubinstein hopes to continue learning Japanese, which she has studied for three years. She tentatively plans on going to Japan following graduation.
Other subjects in the Students Helping Students series include: "Fishing for a Major," "Making the Most of Study Abroad," and "Getting Through College Without Going Broke. "Rubinstein's book is presently available at www.amazon.com.
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