Major concentration: English – Creative Writing

Year of graduation: 2013

Current job title: Content Manager

Current employer: Brafton, Inc

What did you like best/value most about DePaul’s English major?
DePaul’s English program gave me skills to grow and succeed as a writer, as well as lasting relationships with colleagues and mentors. Were it not for Mark Turcotte in particular, I would not have the confidence or love for poetic craft and reading that I have today. Moreover, his guidance is why I’m currently pursuing my master of fine arts in creative writing at the Solstice MFA program to fulfill my ultimate career goal of teaching in higher education. Mark and the other faculty give students a genuine passion for writing and literature and a model for success.

How has what you learned in your English major applied to your current position?In the field of content marketing, the ability to close read is crucial. The internet is ripe with information. Content creators and editors must comb through that wealth of sources to find valuable insights to accurately report without muddling the details. Plus, we must locate and produce content that matters for a brand’s target audience. By examining literature and workshopping my creative works, I gained several paradigms for how writers have achieved the aforementioned goals for years.

Why should students major in English?
Students should major in English because the world says they shouldn’t. I don’t mean this as only an act of rebellion, although many advances for humankind start with going against the grain. We must show the next generations the significance reading and writing have for our future. Storytelling is as old as time, and no matter the career, facets of English education are present. Plus, it doesn’t get better than writing poems, memoirs, short stories, and more for homework.

Why should students major in English at DePaul?
DePaul has unmatched faculty for English education. All of my instructors, including Mark, Richard Jones, Francesca Royster, Dan Stolar, and others, challenged me to break myself so that I could rebuild with stronger foundations. Yet the experience wasn’t about just the demolition; each instructor saw students’ individual talents and fostered those abilities rather than molding students in their image. In short, they help you be the best you.