What is your job/position?
I am a homemaker. I manage much of the day-to-day household care for my family.
Describe the path that took you from your American Studies degree to your current career or life situation.
After graduation, I worked little jobs for a temp agency and at a flower shop for the summer. I then worked as a unit secretary in a hospital for a couple of months (didn't like it), then became a secretary at a small property management company for another couple of months. Both of these jobs were not good fits, and so I left them fairly quickly. I worked temp jobs and was an in-home tutor on the side. I got a regular, though temporary, position again as a property management secretary at a larger company, which was a great fit, but ended after a couple of months. At this point, I found a job at Vivint Solar processing paperwork, which I loved and held for a year. I became pregnant and left Vivint days before I had my baby. Since then I have been a stay-at-home mom, using my talents for small self-employment projects and volunteering on the side.
What are the specific competencies you cultivated as an American Studies student that you now use in your professional life and that set you apart from your colleagues?
American Studies gave me a more open mind and a lot of compassion, which helps me have better relationships in my daily life.
What do you wish you had known as an American Studies student? What advice would you share with current students?
I wish I had enjoyed the classes more and not been in such a rush to finish and graduate, but hey, the money was adding up! :)