Advice From Alumni

“Do what you love. But also know that you might not have discovered the thing that you love yet.”

That was one of many bits of advice from Cynthia Colon and Geoff Troup, two English department alumni who returned to campus on Wednesday, November 13, to meet with current students and share their experiences searching for, keeping, and loving their jobs.

Cynthia, who graduated with a BA in English/Professional Writing in 2018, works as Marketing Coordinator for QA+M Architecture. When she got the job, she didn’t know anything about marketing or architecture. But she listened and she learned: skills that she developed as an English major, where discussions about ideas are a regular part of life. She took other skills with her as well, explaining that, as an English major, she was always surrounded by other people who loved to read, write, and think, and who were good at it. That’s not always the case in the workplace, where people bring a different set of skills with them. Being good at writing, grammar, analysis, and other “English major” skills makes her stand out at job interviews and in the workplace. “I’ve never regretted majoring in English, not for a second,” she told the students who came to listen.

That sentiment was echoed by Geoff, who graduated with a BA in English/Literature in 2012. He now works as a fine wine consultant for Elder Brothers. Despite being in a career that is not always associated with English, Geoff uses the skills and attributes he learned at Southern, sometimes in unexpected ways. Before meeting with clients, he does a lot of research, on the client’s needs and on the products he might suggest to them. Because he deals in fine wines, he often encounters people with an appreciation of arts, culture, and literature, and his wide knowledge of those subjects, developed at SCSU, help him connect with clients, and sometimes give him added credibility. Perhaps most useful is the way literature helped him understand people. “You’re going meet an Iago,” he said. “And you’ve read Othello, so you’re going to know how to deal with him.”

In addition to wisdom from alumni, students, and faculty also enjoyed a pizza and potluck dinner.

“Advice from Alumni” was the second event in the Internships, Fellowships, and Airshipsseries for this semester. Events feature advice on applying for internships, working with faculty on paid research fellowships, studying abroad, and preparing for life beyond Southern. Watch for announcements for upcoming events on the English Department’s Facebook,Twitter, and Instagram.