English Alumni Stories
51 results found
"I think the strongest assets I cultivated as an English major were communication, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence."
"I feel that being steeped in great literature and learning to identify and understand narrative arcs and complex characters can transfer into emotional intelligence, empathy, and persuasion."
"I think my education prepared me most of all for navigating and appreciating so much about life. How to think critically, ask key questions, and write and read in a versatile way."
"Written and verbal communication are key skills to a successful career. Many people in the corporate world lack these two skills. Someone who can master these skills has a significant advantage over others."
"Throughout my studies in English, my professors continually prepared me for an unconventional career path, making it clear that the skills of analysis and communication that we were learning and practicing would come in handy, and they were right."
"A big part of my job is taking someone else's vision and hammering it down into something that makes sense for the brand and team, and breaking it down into actionable steps. The process is messy and takes some organizational skills and finesse, but the English major absolutely prepped me for this kind of work."
"Being able to work cross-functionally to communicate ideas and value in clear, concise, and inspirational ways has propelled me further than I ever realized it could."
"More than anything, my critical thinking skills have set me apart from colleagues and made me successful. I feel like my English degree set me up well."
"Concise and clear documentation is essential in medicine, and my English major prepared me well for that. As I'm developing research, I also find that persuasive writing is critical."
"This isn’t often mentioned, but writing is a HUGE part of social media. And you learn how to do it well as an English major."
"I took for granted the ability to write coherently and in an organized way. It's not a skill that most people have, and I feel like I was really able to hone that skill in my English classes."
"I’d wished I’d known that it is okay to want to be a writer. It is a valid career choice, and can be even more so when it is paired with other concrete skillsets that one can gain at BYU. "
"I can see multiple ways a piece of text could be read and cultivate it to be as clear as possible to the reader."
"As an English major, I learned how to analyze something and ask questions. This has proved to be key for my success in my career."
"There is a need for qualified professionals who write well. You can find a company with benefits, opportunities for growth and management, interesting subject matter, and great colleagues."
"I realized one of the things that drew me to an English degree is that I loved hearing people's stories, understanding diversity considerations in people's lives, and have face-to-face meaningful conversations with other people."
"Part of my job is research, which is just "systematic inquiry." [It] brings me face to face with people, where I have to be insatiably curious: constantly challenging my assumptions, sensing ambiguities, asking questions that are framed in JUST the right way. This systematic inquiry and curiosity is fostered by the kind of work we do in an English degree, both in and out of class. And I'm really grateful for it."
It helped me transition to a career in tech, which I would have never assumed.
I have gained many tools for communicating ideas clearly, which has helped me in teaching positions, writers' rooms, and as a wife and mom! Critical thinking and communication have been instrumental in every interpersonal relationship in my life.
"My English degree shapes the way I interact with the world around me. It is present in the way I interact with others. I treasure my English degree education."
"My English degree opened my eyes to new ways of engaging with the world, helped me find value in a wide variety of texts including books, movies, songs, and more."