"I never thought the way I was trained to write an essay would impact work. I can clearly articulate arguments and am open to different philosophies."
When did you graduate from BYU?
BA English 2011
What is your job/position? And how would you describe what you do in that job/position?
I’m a strategic growth manager. I plan how our corporation can leapfrog current competitive advantages.
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.
What started as a whim in a temp job at a call center has turned into a ten-and-a-half-year career in finance. Recognizing that being able to effectively communicate, both spoken and written, for partners to understand me has been tremendous blessing. I realized my ability to comprehend and apply was far more valuable, so I utilized my English skills and trainings to flourish.
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?
Proofreading information before I send it to senior leaders. This has saved me from many embarrassing emails. I can clearly articulate arguments and ideas while respectfully disagreeing or not aligning my ideas to someone else's.
What are some of the surprising ways in which your English degree helped you in your life?
Strategy and analytical thinking. My writing and reading skills feel almost secondary to my thinking and analytical skills that were cultivated in part by my English coursework. Seeing one text through multiple lenses. Putting a text within a historical context. Discerning authorial intent versus my own interpretation. That has all contributed to my ability to see things from different views and perspectives and recognize the depth and nuance that can exist in something that otherwise seems straightforward.
What do you wish you had known as an English major? Is there any advice you’d like to share with current students?
I never thought the way I was trained to write an essay would impact work. I can clearly articulate arguments and am open to different philosophies. Crafting simple emails and business plans and creating Power Point presentations are all things I learned in my English undergrad degree. I use those skills each day at work.
Contact
Mojo1316@gmail.com