Major concentration: English, Literary Studies

Year of graduation: 2014

Current job title: Account Executive

Current employer: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

What did you like best/value most about DePaul’s English major?
What I liked best about my time as a DePaul English major is that I always left class inspired. I always walked away with a changed perspective, and I think that is a rare and valuable thing. Not only that, but I have left DePaul with the ability to think critically, and independently, which is imperative in a world where so much information is thrown at us every day.

How has what you learned in your English major applied to your current position?
As many career advisors and professors will say, being an English major prepares you for any job. I think this is absolutely true. A job in sales is not what I thought I would be doing right out of school, and yet I love it and I excel at it. With my skill set I am able to communicate with my customers quickly and efficiently. We live in a busy world, and being able to send a nuanced e-mail that still delivers your message is a valuable skill.

Why should students major in English?
I believe that majoring in English opens the world to you. You are able to learn more about human nature, and the human experience, through each piece of writing that you study. I personally think that we are all still trying to connect to the human experience – what it means to be alive today – and studying English gives you a toolkit to begin making those connections.

Why should students major in English at DePaul?
Studying English at DePaul is unique because you can have an intimate college experience while studying in one of the biggest cities in the nation. Every class has a dedicated professor who is truly teaching from a place of passion and expert knowledge. I will never forget one of my favorite courses where I was able to read Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The curriculum gives every student the opportunity to delve into unfamiliar territory, and come out a better thinker, writer, and reader.