W&L Outcomes: Alaina Pastore ’25 This fall, Pastore will enter a one-year master's program at the Shakespeare Institute at the University of Birmingham in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England.

Office of Communications and Public Affairs
June 10, 2025

Alaina Pastore ’25
Major: English and theater double major
Minor: Film studies
Hometown: Boyce, Virginia

What are your post-graduation plans?
This fall, I will be continuing my education and attending the Shakespeare Institute at the University of Birmingham in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England. I will be completing a one-year master’s program called Shakespeare and Creativity, which blends scholarly work and research with creative theatrical practices.

What are some skills or learnings you will take from your academic experience into the professional world?
I very much enjoyed my time working with the English and theater departments throughout my studies at W&L. I feel that both departments helped shape my future aspirations, encouraged my personal interests and gave me opportunities that allowed me to work on my confidence and communication skills. When I came to college, I was pretty shy and quiet, and I feel that being welcomed into both departments has helped my personal and educational growth tremendously.

How did your career plans evolve throughout your time at W&L? Did you always know what you wanted to do?
I always knew that I wanted to study English and film in some capacity, but I didn’t know what that would end up looking like. I ended up with a theater major sort of by chance, since so many of the classes I was just taking for fun applied to the major.

I think the aspect of my studies that changed the most has been my switch to focus on pre-1700s literature. Initially, I took my pre-1700s classes to get them out of the way my sophomore year because I thought they would be intimidating, but not only did my wonderful professors completely change my mind about the subject by their own love of the subject, but I found out that it wasn’t as intimidating as I thought. If I were to tell my first-year self that I would be going to grad school for Shakespeare, I don’t think I would have believed myself, but now, I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Is there one class that ended up changing your perspective or that really surprised you?I absolutely loved Professor Genelle Gertz’s Witches, Mystics and Saints class my sophomore year. We started out with a really complicated text, but I still remember it for not only challenging what I thought I was capable of, but also just really coming to be fascinated with the work once we were done. I feel like the class was in the same boat, and it pushed us to challenge ourselves as well as learn about really cool topics from the pre-1700s era.

Which faculty member had the most impact on you, and what did you learn from them (either inside or outside the classroom)?

My English adviser, Professor Holly Pickett, has had an incredible impact on my college experience through her constant support and guidance. She’s always open to talk about life or school, and I always feel that her advising, as well as her teaching, reminds both me and others that we’re all human. I feel like studying and school can sometimes be a little jarring, taking away the human element, always trying to study our hardest to get a good grade, but I feel like Professor Pickett was always there not only to help with those things, but also remind me to not be so hard on myself because we’re all human – I think that’s something really special to have in the way that you teach and advise. It makes you feel like a student but also a person who is valued by your learning community, which can lead to even more meaningful work. She’s the best! Working with her on my English honors thesis this year has been a really tough yet rewarding experience, and I will not soon forget all of her incredible support! I couldn’t have done it without her.

What clubs, organizations, athletic teams or other extracurriculars were you involved in that had an impact on you?

While technically a credited class, I feel that my participation in University Theater has been a huge part of my experience at W&L; it has introduced me to so many of my friends and helped show me what I want to pursue in the future. Working with Professor Jemma Levy as a director and mentor over the past four years has been an absolute honor, and particularly working on this past fall’s production of “Hamlet 50/50” allowed me to see a new perspective on what I will be studying in Stratford. I have so many great memories from University Theater and a lot of practical experience to help with my studies next year!

What internships or other summer experiences did you partake in, and how did those experiences shape you and your career plans?

I thoroughly enjoyed my years assisting professors in the Summer Research Scholars program, and I was lucky enough to go to Oxford, England, last summer as part of The Virginia Program at Oxford. Working one-on-one with professors Gertz and Pickett on summer research was a great experience, and I feel like I learned a lot about the topics at hand, but I also got to practice other research and management skills. When I went to VPO last summer, I was introduced to the Shakespeare Institute and got to hear lectures from the program head as well as some of the professors who work there. On a field trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon, I also got to see the campus, all of which persuaded me to apply for grad school there in the fall.

What’s been one of your favorite experiences over the last four years?

While it’s hard to choose, one of my favorite experiences happened recently over Spring Term, where fellow theater major Mariah Scott ’25 and I planned a student trip to the American Shakespeare Center (in Staunton, Virginia) to see “Sense and Sensibility.” With help from the Student Activities fund, we were able to get free tickets for 18 students to see the opening night performance at the ASC, directed by Professor Levy. The show was incredible! Some of the students got to see their work from the costume shop, and a group of us got our tickets upgraded to sit on stage (something I’ve always wanted to do). The whole trip was amazing, and I was so happy that so many people got to come and support the show and the ASC!

Who or what has inspired you along the way?

I feel very lucky to have had such a great support system across my four years of college. I have been able to look at my friends and peers and everything that they are determined to accomplish, and I felt that I was energized too to go for what I wanted!

I feel that W&L is such a special place due to the fact that everyone here is driven to do their best and go for what they want in life. It’s a wonderful and supportive place to be, and I find myself inspired by everyone around me who is working so hard. I am inspired by my professors’ love for their subjects and will be forever grateful for their support and guidance. And, of course, I am always inspired by my biggest supporters from day one – my awesome mom and dad who have always been there for me. They’re the best.

What’s your proudest accomplishment?

I really enjoyed and was happy with my honors thesis presentation at the end of Winter Term. My honors thesis was on Shakespearean Original Practice, and it ended up being really detailed and long. Therefore, it was hard to boil it all down to a seven-minute presentation. There was a full house in Newcomb 102 for the presentations, and it was a great feeling to share what I had been excitedly working on for the better part of a year!

How has studying the liberal arts at W&L shaped how you see the world?

I truly think if I hadn’t experienced a liberal arts education, I wouldn’t be in the position I am in now, and I certainly wouldn’t be going off in the fall to study Shakespeare! I feel like having a liberal arts education can sometimes feel like you’re being “forced” to take classes you don’t want to, but I couldn’t disagree more. While the liberal arts education I’ve gotten here at W&L has certainly pushed me outside of my comfort zones or, at the very least, pushed me to take classes I wouldn’t normally take, I feel like I’ve come out the other end a better, more well-rounded person who is up for anything. If I was stuck in my bubble, I don’t think I would have been open to all the different things I was able to study, and I wouldn’t have made some of the friends I have now. While it can seem daunting, I wouldn’t change a thing, and I think it would do everyone some good to experience this kind of education.