What is your job/position?
I currently work at United Way doing outreach for a specific program called Help Me Grow Utah. Help Me Grow Utah supports families and young children by connecting them to resources, providing child development screenings, and answering questions about child development topics. I present to organizations and medical offices, and connect one on one with individuals in other nonprofits about the work my nonprofit does. I also attend and organize events in the community.
Describe the path that took you from your American Studies degree to your current career or life situation.
My last semester at BYU was spent working for a Senator at the Utah State Capitol. After that internship ended, I felt a little lost. For a few months, I worked for the Utah State Board of Education as an administrative assistant but did not feel challenged at that job. A friend reached out to me and suggested I work with her at United Way. I applied on a whim and ended up loving the goals, people, and atmosphere at United Way and Help Me Grow. I have been here for 2 years now.
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?
My professional writing is very strong because of American Studies. A huge part of my job now has to do with making connections with people. American Studies helped me develop interests in so many different topics: gender inequality, inequality in general, folklore, the political system, history, movies, the list goes on and on. When I meet with other nonprofits, it is very likely that our interests will overlap in some ways. I also worked with groups and did presentations, both regular aspects of my job.
What are some of the surprising ways in which your American Studies degree has helped you in your professional or personal life?
As I meet with organizations and nonprofits, I generally have some knowledge about the people and needs the nonprofit is aiming to serve. This is because of the classes I took through my degree. As far as my personal life, American Studies helped introduce me to many new authors and topics. It made me more aware of the ways I love the United States and ways I do not love the United States. It widened my perspective and has helped me relate to people in general. I think it expanded my humanity.
What do you wish you had known as an American Studies student? What advice would you share with current students?
I wish I would have known it is okay to study something that doesn't funnel into a specific field. I felt really anxious about there being a job for me after college and about learning any "real life work" skills. Life is so long, and there is so much time to work. I will probably have many jobs in my life and learn many things at each new job. American Studies helped me develop a love of learning and it helped me be flexible. Those are skills that apply to every job. After college, what you studied is often less important to employers than what skills you gained from studying.
*You can contact Katie with questions about her American Studies story at katiekrum1996@gmail.com.