English alums excel
Did you know that celebrated comedian Maria Bamford (right) received a BA in English from the University of Minnesota? (The New York Times does.) Or that the film version of BA alumna Cheryl Strayed's bestselling memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail has just been released--and has already scored a Screen Actor's Guild Award nomination for Reese Witherspoon, who plays Strayed? (Strayed talks movie versions with Gillian Flynn, whose Gone Girl Witherspoon also produced as a film.)The merger of addiction treatment giant Hazelden with the Betty Ford Center made the news--as did Hazelden's leader Mark Mishek (BA 1974), who is now the President and CEO of Hazelden Betty Ford. As a long-time lawyer and then Senior Vice President with Allina Hospitals, he notes in our interview, "I really got to appreciate the broad education that I got at the U--to have that set of eyes that look at the world in a much broader way than I would have had I gone to business school."
What's your job? Last fall English made a video spotlighting the accomplishments of students and alumnae/i, and University President Eric Kaler gave it a big fist bump. This year, we want to create a new video with more alum stories: Tell us how you're using your English degree out in the world. Take a video (or have someone take it of you) with your phone or tablet in which you describe--briefly and using action verbs--your occupation. Email it using Google Drive to englmaj@umn.edu with the subject English Alum Video. (If you don't have Google Drive, let us know via email, and we can share via YouTube.) Or: Write it down on paper, take a photo selfie, and email it.
"We know already that the liberal arts provide a strong foundation for life satisfaction, extensive contributions to our communities, and future career success," emphasized new CLA Dean John Coleman in his "Road Ahead: A Call to Action" speech given in October. "The heavy representation of liberal arts graduates throughout the leadership of Fortune 500 companies as well as leadership in government, health care, the tech sector, law, education, small business, and non-profits, tells us something important about the opportunity provided by a liberal arts education."
Help us continue to narrate this story of success! Send in your video today. You can provide a more detailed update here.
