Like many students, Betselot Wondimu found himself unexpectedly pulled toward a humanities major (in this case, anthropology) when he found it to be the best platform for pursuing his burning questions and advocating for the change he wanted to see in the world. Hear Betselot reflect on why leaving the pre-med path to study anthropology has proven to be the right choice for him.

Meet Kate Barney, who turns the stereotype of the humanities major working in the service industry on its head. Kate’s American Studies major enabled her to nurture her passion for fine food while developing highly valued transferable skills that propelled her forward to increasingly exciting opportunities in the food industry. Her story represents a broader path to success for humanities majors in whatever industry interests them.

While students may feel pressured to determine a precise plan for their college education and career from the outset, the reality is that their understanding of both their academic and professional opportunities is very limited. For the vast majority of folks, finding the right fit requires exploration. Catherine Woodling reflects on how allowing her interests to evolve as she pursued a political science major and Spanish minor ultimately led her to a more optimal professional path than the one she had planned. 

Andrew Bagley shares how studying the humanities (in this case, history) can help you make partner by 35… and actually enjoy it! Andrew’s story shows, more broadly, how the self-directed nature of humanistic study enables you to design a curriculum that provides a direct on-ramp for your chosen profession. You can point a humanities education in whatever direction you want to go!

Think you need to pursue a STEM major to succeed in the tech world? Think again! In this episode, we meet Annie Hallman, one of countless humanities majors who have built a successful tech career by combining skills gained through the humanities with technical capacities acquired on the job. Annie reflects on her journey and how her English major equipped her to become a leader in her field. 

Brendalee Brown reflects on how she found her stride through her slow-emerging love of history, which she then leveraged to advance a career in museums. Like countless others humanities majors who have pursued careers in education, libraries, and cultural organizations, Brendalee finds fulfillment facilitating the kinds of invigorating intellectual experiences for folks in her community that helped her come into her own.

Jason Morales shares how his liberal arts background and English major helped him develop the critical thinking and communication skills that have proven crucial to his success in business, earning him a reputation as a creative problem-solver. Nurturing his intellectual curiosity has led Jason to increasingly exciting and challenging opportunities that keep his work fresh and engaging.