Drawn to literature and volunteering, Nick Brunelle ’25 focuses on advocacy
Nick Brunelle ’25 gives a detailed, philosophical answer to any question he’s asked. It should come as no surprise — the English and philosophy major is constantly poring through deep and complex texts. These volumes, as well as a passion for community work, have come to define his Clark experience.
Brunelle was drawn to Clark because of the thesis program offered by many departments.
“I was given a sense that I would be able to work independently in how I went about writing my thesis, which played to my strengths,” Brunelle says.
He eventually settled on writing his English honors thesis on the concept of migration in Salman Rushdie’s 1988 novel “The Satanic Verses.”
“I found this novel interesting on my first reading of it, but was surprised by the lack of analysis with regard to immigration and migration, as these are fairly common discussions in Rushdie’s other works,” says Brunelle.
Conducting a literary analysis with a focus on post-colonialism and psychoanalysis is the best approach to Rushdie’s novel, says Brunelle, who describes his project as almost “monastic” because of the solitary nature of the work.
“It made me think hard about why I was doing this, about my love for literary work, and about the necessity of this work in particular,” Brunelle says. “Considering what is happening in our current political landscape, I believe that it’s very important to be having discussions about migrants and immigrants as political subjects, and about how migrants and immigrants are depicted in media, especially by people who write from experience, like Rushdie.”
His emphasis on advocacy extends to his involvement with local Catholic-run charities such as The Mustard Seed, a nearby soup kitchen.
“Clark has really allowed me to become involved with organizations helping lower-income communities in Worcester,” says Brunelle, noting that giving back is an essential piece of his Catholic faith. “Academia is a very privileged thing, and stepping beyond the academy, to me, is so important.
“Getting involved with charitable organizations is crucial to the survival of communities in a city like Worcester, where there aren’t necessarily many public services. I’ve really been able to get involved, help people, and meet people in the community who are saving lives.”
Through a course taught by Professor Siobhan McGrath, Brunelle is working with the United Automobile Workers on southern labor drives.
“What college has made me realize is that there is such a gap between academia and working-class communities,” Brunelle says. “I knew that in order to become truly involved in a community, I needed to be helping the actual people of the community.”
Brunelle sees plenty of options for life after commencement. He’s considering a career in teaching, either at the collegiate or high school level, and has also investigated the field of psychoanalysis thanks to his thesis work.
“My future is always such a difficult question, because one short experience can be absolutely life-shaping and completely change your trajectory,” he says, adding with a laugh, “If all else fails, the priesthood and monasteries always exist.”
Brunelle says he’s been encouraged and guided in his writing pursuits by his Clark professors, particularly thesis advisor and English Professor Stephen Levin and academic advisor and philosophy Professor Wes DeMarco.
“I’ve come to be fueled by a great love of academic work while I’ve been here,” he says. “Clark gave me the space to be an academic while simultaneously maturing as a person.”
