"Being able to read, think critically, write, and edit are the keystones to any successful position."
When did you graduate from BYU?
BA English 2014
What is your job/position? And how would you describe what you do in that job/position?
I'm the assistant director of communications at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. My work can be described as a mix of internal communications, public relations, community engagement, alumni relations, and strategic communications.
Describe the path that you took from your BYU English degree to your current career, highlighting the important realizations and turning points that paved the path for you.
While a student at BYU, I got a student job writing and editing for University Communications. I realized that my interest in English and editing tied well to communications as a whole. Following graduation, I worked at a nonprofit doing communications and grant writing and a real estate company doing marketing and communications. Then I came to where I work today, starting as an executive assistant, to the alumni relations manager, to the university marketing and communications manager, to now being the assistant director of communications.
What are the specific skills that you cultivated as an English major that you now use in your professional life? And how do you use those skills in ways that set you apart from your colleagues?
I can see multiple ways a piece of text could be read and cultivate it to be as clear as possible to the reader. Also, I've been consistently complimented in the direct and concise manner in which I communicate through email, which has become increasingly useful in a virtual work environment.
What are some of the surprising ways in which your English degree helped you in your life?
All of them! Writing, editing, researching, reasoning, critical thinking, etc.
What do you wish you had known as an English major? Is there any advice you’d like to share with current students?
English degrees, as with most degrees in the liberal arts, provide a very broad basis of education. Because of that, it can be hard to see exactly where it can take you. That's why internships, student employment opportunities, and even external activities are so important to help in narrowing, or rather determining, one's career options. While I was a student, I did an editing internship at a publishing company, a business internship through the Marriott School, worked part-time, and participated in college councils. Those opportunities were critical in giving me diverse experience to acknowledge what I enjoyed as an English major and see the variety of options available to me. Recently I was hiring a writing intern and was disappointed to find that some of the students and even recent graduates who applied didn't have any experience outside the classroom. Take advantage of every opportunity to gain new and different experiences. An English degree can set you up for success in a variety of fields but only if you find opportunities to get experience in those fields.
Contact
stephaniecbahr@gmail.com