Cael Sinclair (B.A.’25) is an alum of the VCU Department of English and current graduate assistant in the department while pursuing a Master’s of Arts in English. Sinclair is passionate about books new and, especially, old. His current studies involve paleography, book binding, and preparing to continue research in a future Ph.D. program.

Why did you choose your major?

Ever since I was a small child, I was interested in books. I was the type of student where I'd always have a book with me, to the point of getting in trouble for it as a kid. So going into the English field made sense to me. In high school I did dual enrollment classes that allowed me to take college-level English classes, and I fell in love with literary analysis and academic writing.

Favorite class? Why?

Victorian Environmentalism with Nicholas Frankel, Ph.D. This class had an incredibly interesting topic, focusing on how the industrial revolution affected the environment and how this influenced Victorian writers, and introduced me to readings that I had never worked with before. This class is wholeheartedly to blame for my continued work on Charles Dickens. In addition to this, Dr. Frankel is an incredibly encouraging professor and would give wonderful feedback on my writing.

Favorite professor? Why?

Joshua Eckhardt, Ph.D. He's an absolutely wonderful professor and is honestly one of the reasons why I'm pursuing book history as a research field in the first place. I've been working and taking classes with him since my sophomore year and he's supported and encouraged me every step of the way. Even outside of the classroom, he has been one of the main people I've been able to approach with any issues, anxieties, anything, and he's been willing to listen and give advice. He hosts his paleography club, Superscripts, outside of his teaching time and takes time to sit down with students and teach us in-depth how to read historical handwriting, how to transcribe and understand them. Both inside and outside the classroom, he is a phenomenal professor.

Most interesting thing in your major's curriculum that you've learned or experience you've had?

The most interesting experience I've had was learning to write with a quill for a class! As part of some of Dr. Eckhardt's classes, he tries to get students to get hands-on with manuscripts, including making replicas using ink and quill. It's an experience that you wouldn't expect to gain within an English department but is an incredibly fun and interesting one. It definitely gives you a better appreciation of the history of books and manuscripts. 

What are you hoping to do after graduation? Why?

I'm currently looking into applying for Ph.D. programs in order to continue my research. I'm hoping to continue working with and educating others about rare books and manuscripts, especially those from the medieval period. I'm planning on staying in academia, most likely pursuing archival or museum work. I love being able to go down my research rabbit holes and talking to others who are interested in the type of work that I do.