English Major Out in the World: Mary Sosa

By Jefferson Beavers, Communication Specialist, Department of English. Photo: Fresno State alumna Mary Sosa coordinates volunteers at the Poverello House, where the organization provides services for people in need, including daily hot meals at Papa Mike’s Cafe.

Editor’s note: This story is the first installment of the video series “English Majors Out in the World,” highlighting English Department alumni who’ve taken unexpected career paths while translating their academic success into community success.

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“Community is where the heart is, and my heart is in Fresno.”

Two-time Fresno State alumna Mary Sosa is the community engagement coordinator at the Poverello House, a downtown Fresno organization that offers food, shelter, and social services to people in need.

In her role, she coordinates and develops a dedicated and constantly evolving band of volunteers and interns—up to 500 volunteers each month—whose daily community service makes Poverello’s work possible. Among the most recognizable work, they prepare and serve hot meals seven days a week, 365 days a year, on-site at Papa Mike’s Cafe and off-site to agencies and programs throughout the city.

Sosa studied rhetoric and writing studies in the university’s M.A. English program, earning her master’s degree with distinction in 2022. Previously, she graduated magna cum laude from Fresno State in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in English literature.

During her graduate program, Sosa studied community literacy. As part of her studies, she was introduced to the Poverello House through a one-year AmeriCorps internship. She says she practices concepts of community literacy every day in her work through writing and mutual education.

Meet Mary

This video was filmed by Jefferson Beavers and edited by Celeste Jones for Fresno State’s College of Arts and Humanities.

If you’re a Fresno State English alumni and you have an inspiring career story that you’d like to share, please submit this short “Share Your Success Stories” form, or contact Jefferson Beavers at jbeavers@mail.fresnostate.edu or 559.278.1569.