Back when I was majoring in English at the U, I can't tell you the number of people who raised their eyebrows and asked, 'So what are you going to do with your degree if you're not going to teach?' To be honest, I wasn't sure. I just knew I liked to write, and I hoped it would lead to something in business or communications. My first 'real' job interview landed me an entry-level position at a large advertising agency in Salt Lake, where I started in the public relations department―because they were looking for a writer. 

From there, I eventually went on the co-found my own company, Momentum Communications. Over the past 15 years we've had the joy of working with clients like Southwest Airlines, Mrs. Fields Famous Brands, Beachbody, C.R. England, and more. I've also been a contributing writer for magazines, including Utah Business Magazine, Utah Style & Design and Salt Lake Magazine. My husband (also my business partner) and I have ghostwritten books, scripted and produced award-winning corportate videos, helped launch start-ups... and the list of writing and communications opportunities goes on and on. Looking back, all these doors first opened with that bachelor of arts degree English at the University of Utah.

So go ahead all you English majors, when they ask, tell 'em a rewarding career lies ahead for the folks who really like well-placed semi-colons and well-turned phrases.

―Heather Beers | Co-Owner, Momentum Communications, English B.A., 1994

The skills we teach in English―careful reading, rigorous analysis, effective expression―are fundamental to a successful career and a full life. Our students develop the habits of agile thinking, nuanced interpretation, and clear communication. These are the skills that are valued in a rapidly changing economy, and our majors go on to a wide range of fulfilling careers because they know how to pay close attention; negotiate complexity; adapt, revise, and innovate; present their ideas forcefully; write clearly and imaginatively; and think for themselves. Just as importantly, our students know that a fulfilling career is just one part of a complete life. They also learn to discuss their ideas, collaborate with their peers, and respectfully engage diverse perspectives. These are the skills of community and cooperative learning we practice in our classes and value in the world.

―Scott Black | Professor

My B.A. in English helped me enormously. I learned, through the study of letters, to see the wonder in different points of view and the craft to make them. After graduation, I went into advertising. As a principal in my firm, I was often asked by aspiring students, 'Should I major in advertising?" I always answered, no. I told them that a humanities degree, and, in my case, English, taught me to think about different points of view and from it, the ease to question what I didn't or wanted to know.

―Alan (Skip) Branch | English B.A., 1968

I received three degrees from the University of Utah: BS Computer Science, BS Psychology, and a Masters in English. Of the three, my English degree has been by far the most valuable in both my life and my career.

The study of literature taught me how to read between the lines, write effectively about complex and subtle topics, deal with ambiguity, hold intelligent conversations, develop empathy, and see the world from multiple perspectives. It turns out that all of these skills are extremely useful in almost any career.

Over my years in information technology I have had the privilege of working with many developers, designers, and managers. I have noticed that the people who rise to prominent positions tend to be people with well-rounded educations. People with only a CS degree get in the door, but get stuck at a certain level. The best developers have multiple degrees from different fields, often including a strong liberal arts background. Those with English degrees communicate more effectively, are better with subtleties and ambiguity, and have superior interpersonal skills. This is what matters most in the long run.

The benefits in my private life have been equally profound. My degree gave me a framework to navigate the vast landscape of literature and the tools to deepen my enjoyment and understanding. Literature is a solace during difficult times and an unfailing source of refreshment. I still regard my two years teaching English Composition as the most challenging job I've ever had; my students taught me humility and how to seek not just better answers but better questions. Most importantly, I made lifelong friendships with some truly remarkable human beings. English majors are good example. 

―John Cartan | Senior Design Architect, Oracle, English M.A., 1985

Why English? Because it makes the world more interesting. And complicated. And Troubling.

―Craig Dworkin | Professor

It's hard to express how much my English degree has enriched my life. My English coursework helped me begin reading, thinking, and writing with special care and precision, a skill that has been a vital part of my short life as an attorney. My first job after law school was with the Rockey Mountain Innocense Center, a regional innovence project based in Salt Lake City. My training as an English major helped me in my work of investigating potentially wrongful convictions and writing briefs challenging those convictions. Currently, I work for a small law firm that specializes in defending healthcare providers of all kinds (doctors, nurses, therapists, etc.). Every day I use reading and writing skills I first learned studying literature in college.

Most importantly, though, the familiarity I gained with literacy and cultural history has enhanced the quality of every part of my life. My civic engagement, my participation in the arts, my interactions with people of all kinds of background, and more―I have found greater fulfillment and been more useful in these endeavors because of my time as a college student in the English Department at the University of Utah. It's virtually impossible for me to imagine what my life would look like without my time there.

―James Egan | Associate Attorney, Epperson & Owens, English H.B.A., 2011

Why is the English major important today?
The English maor is becoming increasingly important in today's world. In our current era, the world is everchanging and constantly improving toward the advancement of technology, making it easy for students to assume the world needs more people to join the scientific or computer oriented community. However, in this movement toward technology many college students have lost necessary skills to succeed in the world today. The study of literature is key to gaining these skills, because it promotes critical thinking skills, establishes essential reading and writing capabilities, and provides students with the ability to communicate effectively. The English major is very versatile and saturates its students with these necessary skills to succeed in all aspects of life.

―Austin Eggers | Student

My B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in English from the U of U are essential to me in the business world.

I am convinced that many business problems are actually writing problems. Many crucial processes, especially intellectual processes such as drug development or business capture, depend on high-quality writing. I worked with most of the major pharma companies for many years, helping them create high-quality NDAs (new drug applications) that werre approved much faster because of the clarity of the argument and the consistency of the presentation.

This is my conclusion: Most of the high-value work done in business today is actually itellectual work, and ALL intellectual work is writing work. The products created by scientists, engineers, business leaders―these are all 'intellectual products.' Without superb writing skills, these products are often flawed and poorly conceived, generating truly massive costs. An English degree may well be the most valuable degree in the marketplace today.

―Breck England | Director of Product Innovation, Franklin Covey Co., English M.A., 1979, English Ph.D., 1989

I have a degree in English as well as one in business and after a long career in the corporate environment I feel that my English degree has been the most useful to me as well as being more life enriching. While knowing how a business is structured and functions is certainly important, most of my career was spent dealing with people. While studying English I was exposed to other disciplines (i.e. History, Philosophy, Psychology, etc.) through a wide variety of literature and analysis of the same. It has helped in gaining a wider perspective of the world at large and how people react and respond to others and why. It also exposed me to many great writers otherwise I may not have become known to me. I have always thought of my time in the U of U English department one of the great experiences of my life and often think of it fondly. I would recommend it to anyone and believe that we badly need more people with a background in the liberal arts in our society.

―Mel Gause | English B.A., 1981

Studying the humanities, and literature in particular, has given me the empathy and perspective to live a fully engaged life, from all perspectives - moral, personal, cultural, political, and financial. Analyzing characters and the decisions they make in the context of a novel is an extremely effective way to develop emotional quotient, which is critical to success in the business career I chose. My ability to understand someone's perspective and motivation, and to craft influential communication to lead that person in a new direction to benefit her and the cause at hand, has been a career skill of equal value to my MBA numerical analytic training. Most importantly, my English studies contributed to my insatiable appetite for learning, understanding, and being open to change, which is a source of strength and solace in these tumultuous times.

―Melisse Grey | Executive Vice President / Director of Retail Strategy, Zions Bancorporation, English H.B.A., 1981

My English degree from the University of Utah has proved to be an invaluable asset both personally and professionally throughout my life. As a result, I have been able to achieve much success over many varied areas of interest. I have been a tenured professor at Western Michigan University, international scientific communications specialist for Roche Global Development (Basel, Switzerland), senior partner of De Young & Hayden, LLC, and, most recently, founder of Prospero, a Virtual Reality communications and marketing company based in the San Francisco Bay Area. My studies in English at Utah set the foundation for an eclectiv and interesting life by opening my mind to a world of ideas and possibilities and by teaching me how to articulate my thoughts in order to motivate others.

―Bradley Hayden | Co-founder, Prospero, English B.A., 1974, English M.A., 1975

I have worked in the pharmaceutical/drug development industry for over 20 years. I got my first job in this industry as a medical writer. The hiring manager told me he hired me because 'he could teach me the science but he couldn't teach his scientists to write well.' The ability to write well has given me the edge professionally as most communication in the business world is done through email. Because of all the writing I did while working on my English degree, I know how to summarize important information, tailor my message to the target audience, and persuade others to consider my point of view. I have been very successful in a science-based industry without having a science degree due to my ability to comprehend written information and communicate well.

―Julie Jenkins | Knowledge Management Officer, KMA, English B.A., 1993

I completed a BA in English as a precursor to obtaining an MS in technical communication, with the intent of pursuing a career as a technical writer. I was forunate to enter the workforce in the early 1990s, when jobs with software companies were abundant for newly graduating students, and I held several positions applying my writing skills to creating user guides and online help for software applications. What I slowly realized, however, was that my English degree had prepared me not only to be a wordsmith but also to think critically, to gather and organize complicated information, and to look for deeper meaning behind the superficial. These abilities ultimately took me beyond the boundaries of my anticipated career to new roles as a product analyst and subsequently as a technical product manager for a healthcare technology company. I am proud of my educational origins as an English major and feel that a background in the humanities has only complemented, not hindered, my professional growth in the tech world.

―Hilari Jones | English H.B.A., 1992

The English degree curriculum revealed to me such a diversity of perspectives in the world that I believe it made me a more tolerant and empathetic person. It has helped me to think more critically, creatively, and to see inside-out the experiences of others. Even if many of those experiences were fictional, those types of thoughts and reactions to the world are in no doubt real. Although I had to contend with some doubt from others who thought a degree in English wasn't valuable, I wouldn't change a thing if I had it to do over.

―Connie Larsen-Frazier | Senior Business Analyst for the State of Utah, English B.A., 1998

Reading, researching, assessing, analyzing & writing, which I learned from the English Department at the University of Utah, were all useful throughout my working years. After completing my bachelor's degree, I went to the US Air Force Officer Training School near San Antonio, TX. Once commissioned, I completed initial technical training then became a WAF (Women in the Air Force) Squadron Section Commander. I went to law school, and there I found my English degree skills were very helpful since I could read materials quickly, and recall main topics and issues which helped me a lot in class and during exams. I passed the MO bar exam and became a judge advocate (military lawyer). I also served in policy positions, where writing and use of English in communications were major portions of my assigned duties.

―Hillary Morgan | English B.A., 1973

My English degree has meant a lot to me. The humanities, and more specifically the study of English, has helped me form a broader view of the world. One of the things I love about my experience of getting my B.A. in English is that I felt like I got minors in other areas! I wasn't exposed to just English literature but history, philosophy, sociology, psychology, and film studies. It really is all encompassing. I feel like I am connected to more of the world than I would have been otherwise.

―Elliot Morris | English B.A., 2013

I chose English as a major to better prepare me to a future law career and to learn subjects that I had never before been presented. To be more specific, I've spent my freshman and sophomore year as an undeclared student, and what I've realized by socializing with people from different backgrounds and majors is that English proficiency both in speaking and writing are areas that other majors are not being able to provide to the student. While I'm a recent English major with lots of areas to improve upon, I am really happy with my decision.

―Felipe G. Noriega | Student

Following the completion of my undergraduate degree in English at the University of Utah, I went on to complete my Masters as well as my Doctorate. I cannot think of any degree that served me more in terms of advancing my academic skills or on-the-job preparation. I was immediately employable in so many ways and found I could be well paid to write as well as speak in the presence of diverse audiences. I was immediately qualified to prepare and deliver many educational lectures and seminars. I wrote on complex issues and excelled at writing speeches for college presidents. My communication skills have also allowed me to be flexible throughout my career, having worked in such diverse fields as education, technology, and financial services.

―Pamela Grey | President / Owner, Grey Investment Group, English B.A., 2013

My English degree has allowed me to advance in my career field as a paralegal. I was no longer just a "paralegal," but I was now being utilized by other attorneys to review and edit various court documents, briefs, emails, and correspondence. My English degree, with my paralegal degree, helped propel me to great positions within various law firms and eventually, as the human resources and compliance director for an amazing 501(c) non profit in Arizona. Because of the degree, I have the ability to review, analyze, and edit policies, correspondence, and benefits. My CEO even said that my editing skills of her correspondence are better than she had ever seen in all of her years of teaching. Being able to read complex writing and understand and analyze what is being said has helped me in my everyday life and career. I now read the employee reviews for our company and make sure we are not saying something that could get us in trouble down the road. Our legal counsel appreciates the facts that I can write and understand complex policies, etc. and narrow them down to what is really meat and bones—remove the fluff.

―Shariyu Patwardhan-Preston | Preston, Human Resources and Compliance Director, Achieve Human Services, Inc., English B.A., 2000

Why English? Indeed.

This is a less complicated question than it seems. In the end, it is a question about the present and the past. Really, there is not much else to consider. The present is the object that we are consumed by―how to get on, how to get ahead, how to succeed in life. The past is another sort of object altogether. The past is all that has been left behind, all that now does not matter to us.

English―that is, the study of literature―is irrevocably about the past. The study of the literature that is being written today is called "book reviewing". That is mostly what English is not about.

The study of English is about the black hole that opens up behind everyone after the age of 10 or so. In that sense, the study of English is not finally different from the study of history. That's not a problem at all. But when we study English, we study the art of literature, which is to say we study the things that people have written about that have stood the test of time. There is really not much more to it than that.

And so, in English, we study a particular verison of the past, a particular version of what the historians study. In English, we study the history of the imagination in written language. Granted, it is not much. But in the end, it may be the kind of history that matters most.

The history of what people have done is one thing, and a not insignificant thing. But the history of what people have imagined―that, that is a thing that neither the angels nor the beasts have been able to provide, and it may be what we have been intended to do all along.

―Vince Pecora | Professor

While not too many English graduates might have expected to find themselves in a technical field like Video Game Development, I have found that my studies in narrative and rhetorical writing have proved invaluable to my success in this field. In fact, as someone that constantly gives presentations or is required to construct the creative visions for products in development, ensuring that an idea is accessible and readily understood is critical. I have been long complemented on my ability to sell an idea and make it readily understood by an audience and I firmly believe that my degree in English has well enabled me to handle such tasks with ease.

In addition, given the constant sharing of ideas, feedback, and thoughts on writing and literature that accompanies the English curriculum, I also believe that these aspects of my English degree have made me better prepared to discuss notions safely and better frame conversations for all participants . . . such soft skills have proved essential for my multiple leadership responsibilities and develpment of multiple million selling console (and mobile) video games.

―Richard Reagan | Senior Producer, Electronic Arts, English B.A., 1992

An English degree not only grants you useful skills in writing, reasoning, researching, and critical thinking, but most importanty, you know how to learn about anything.

―David Roh | Associate Professor

It definitely shaped my perspective of life. My love of the written word is still rooted in me because of the professors who were so passionate about what they taught. I am a better writer and better communicator because of my foundation in English, and I feel that the culture given to me through literature has given me a unique identity that I don't see in the poly sci and communications majors I work with every day.

―Nicholas Russell | Attorney, Rogers & Russell, English B.A., 2008

My English degree has helped me grow both personally and professionally.

I entered my first job out of college prepared to write and edit professionally and produce very high-quality work. I know how to write well, and can do so consistently, which is crucial as a web content writer. I was able to learn the ropes very quickly and have been given more responsibilities. My chances of promotion are very high, and it's likely that I will be moved to a management position within the next 6-9 months.

On a personal level, achieving a degree in English enriched my life and expanded my mind immensely.

I believe that what you read becomes part of you - the things you put into your mind become what you think, which in turn influences what you do and the person you become. Literature is also a huge influence on culture, and influences who we are as a people and as individuals, and how we see the world. I will always be glad that I chose to study English.

―Emily Stewart | Web Content Writer, Business Promotion, English B.A., 2016

My base as an English major (with a graduate degree in teaching English proficiency courses) led to an enriching career and direction I never would have guessed: Regulatory Affairs and QA in the biotech industry. I started out writing (and illustrating) user instructions for quadriplegics using the Tongue-Touch Keypad―a device that changed their lives because it gave them mobility and control of their physical environment. I co-wrote my first NIH grant which lead to junior college scholarships for these students because, due to the generosity of Apple, they could not only physically attend college but could type and communicate using the Tongue-Touch Keypad on Apple computers.

I realized working with engineers and scientists was tremendous fun even though I was "just" an English major. I discovered I was a valuable commodity in these cutting-edge companies―especially for Silicon Valley startups, and each time I'd come to the end of my three or four month contract, they'd panic and hire me full time with stock options, titles, departments to build, and more. In the first twenty plus years, I was basically the only writer. Engineers and chemists would give me their drafts, and I would turn them into prose.

―Suesan Westwood Taylor | Quality Consultant, SWT Consulting

I think having a background in English allows me to have a distinct set of critical thinking skills different from those acquired through the sciences. By combining my background in the humanities―writing skills, theory knowledge, philosophy, etc.―with my career in medicine, I have a unique view of patient stories and patient experiences as I work as a physician in training. I am so incredibly happy and thankful that I chose to major in English as an undergraduate. Being able to write and read well is a skill that I know will serve me well for the rest of my life―both professionally and personally.

―Kajsa Vlasic | Medical Student, U of U School of Medicine, English H.B.A., 2015

Writing skills learned at the University of Utah and appreciation of others cultures gained from studying literature of other countries and cultures have been pivotal in my success in founding a very successful international music concert touring and performance.

Writing coherently and persuasively make a huge difference in every sort of presentation: written proposals, multi-media presentations, print advertising, in-person presentations. Most potential clients form a very quick opinion of me personally or my company based on what they see and absorb in a very short time. There is no substitute for good writing skills.

―John Wiscombe | President, Music Celebrations International, English B.A., 1970