Emily Coleman (BA '08)
Director of Product Design and Implementation
Farm Credit Mid-America

"Being an English major gave me a core set of skills that have shaped my ability to observe, look for evidence, analyze evidence, and synthesize what I see into insightful conclusions and strategies. These problem-solving skills have been useful in every area of my life, no matter the circumstances: at work, across different industries, in advocating for my kids at school, in social activism, in supporting my community to solve problems for our neighbors and even within my own family. Literary analysis, for example, was a great training ground to teach me how to do everything I mention above. Having great communication skills has also unlocked cooperation from other people. We never do anything great alone, and having both empathy and mastery of language has been great way to mobilize others to work with me to accomplish things that really matter.

I think the introduction of AI into our lives is really helping us think about what it means to be human. We no longer have to be great on our own with language to be successful, but we do have to be great problem solvers. The tools are just changing. Being an English major in a time where I had to fight with my own mind to write my papers was the equivalent of athletic training for my brain. We don’t go to the gym and lift heavy weights because we’re going to carry heavy weights around. We do it because it conditions our muscles for the demands of life. The same is true of an English education. I’m so glad I chose it."