An English Major's View on How to Prepare for Life after Graduation

Choosing a major is hard enough. As graduation approaches, whether you are a year away from graduating or just a few months, you have likely wondered how to prepare for the next stage. Excited to apply the knowledge and values that a major in English has afforded them, our majors pursue diverse paths after graduation, from continuing on to an M.A. to working for local government. Below our enthusiastic English majors share advice both on how to make the most of a college education and how they have found a place in the world beyond PLU.

Grace DeMun

Grace DeMun
``Your degree doesn't have to directly match what your future employment plans are!``

Majors:
English/Literature and Psychology

Scholarships:
PLU President’s Scholarship, PLU Q Club Scholarship, J-Term Study Away Scholarship, Bergman-Mann Global Endowment Scholarship, and Lindberg Scholarship

Study Away:
J-Term Rome, Italy; Dublin, Ireland – IES Irish Studies

Currently: 
Operations Intern for the National Bureau of Asian Research

From:
Edmonds, WA

Rachel Diebel

Rachel Diebel
``Graduation is not the deadline for deciding how you’re going to spend the rest of your life.``

Major:
English/Literature

Minors:
Printing & Publishing Arts, Communication, and Women’s & Gender Studies.

Scholarships:
President’s Scholar, Knudsen Family Endowed Scholarship

Study Away:
London, UK
Studied all four years at PLU

Currently:
M.A. Publishing, Pace University, New York City

From:
La Grande, Oregon

Laura Johnson

Laura Johnson
``Be open to different opportunities.``

Major:
English/Literature

Minors:
Religion and Holocaust and Genocide Studies

Scholarship:
Regents Merit Scholarship

Fellowships:
2014/2015 Kurt Mayer Summer Scholars Research Fellowship and 2015 Wild Hope Fellow

Study Away:
London, UK
Studied all for years at PLU

Currently:
AmeriCorps Member, Tacoma, WA.

From:
Kalispell, Montana

Kyle Mitchell

Kyle Mitchell
``The most successful lives are created moment by moment.``

Major:
English/Creative Non-Fiction

Minor:
Music

Scholarship:
President’s Scholarship
Studied all four years at PLU

Currently:
PLU MA in Education

From:
Conway, Washington.

Anna Sieber

Anna Sieber
``Get involved!``

Major:
English/Creative Writing

Scholarship:
Harstad Founder’s Scholar

Study Away:
J-Terms in Washington, D.C. and Uganda
Studied all four years at PLU

Currently:
Executive Assistant, Association of Oregon Counties

From:
Salem, OR