English Major, Spanish Minor

 I had the to opportunity to be the Marketing/Communications intern at the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce in Green Bay, WI from September 2006-May 2007. I worked approximately 12 hours a week in their office, had my own desk/computer, and was assigned to assist with the Chamber's main publications (BBJ, Friday Report, Press Releases, etc). It's really amazing where our "English Major" skills take us! Writing critically, persuasively and economically is apparently not all that common!

While working at the Chamber with my boss, the Marketing and Communications Manager, I more specifically honed my writing, editing and proof reading skills. I was involved in project management, content research, and conducting interviews followed by development of corporate marketing pieces. I even have had the opportunity to write many articles for the BBJ as a freelance writer, and still do so today. Ultimately, the experience I gained during this internship helped me to land another internship in my hometown of West Bend, WI. I am so happy to have had this opportunity, as it truly furthered my professional aspirations as well as helped me make contacts in the community that may even help in the future.

Amber Hartl ‘08
English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis

I have had the pleasure of being the Editorial Intern at the Fox Cities and Bay Cities Magazines in Appleton since December 2007, and I’ve learned so much in that short time! Working roughly 10 hours a week, I’ve been given opportunities to copy-edit, fact check, and write articles, as well as develop my interpersonal skills through numerous personal interviews. I feel like a full member of the team here, and every person in our small office helps teach me about creating a great magazine. It’s not exactly like writing an essay! I’ve learned about marketing, ad design, and layout just by listening carefully to “water cooler” conversations and the experience of actually writing articles has honed my skills more than I could have imagined. I look forward to learning even more as my internship runs its course, and I am certain that this experience will lead to many more wonderful opportunities for me.

In the summer of 2008 between my junior and senior year at St. Norbert College I worked for a community coalition called AHEAD. It is, of course, an acronym: Advocates Helping to Educate Against Drugs and it focuses on drug education, prevention, cessation, and recovery. The English major prepared me for work both here, and by extension, much of the non-profit world, because my job required me to write columns, letters, give presentations, run meetings, direct discussions, read through vast amounts of technical jargon and condense it down to essential points, etc. My liberal education, specifically the English major, put me through the necessary courses to read, write, and speak clearly, concisely, and, thereby, effectively that served me well in my position as a program assistant.Also, reading the literature and experience life through a multiplicity of perspectives also served me well. Empathy isn't exactly tangible or something that a discipline can tout, but it is something the English discipline can often cultivate. Working with drug addicts, youth, and "at risk" populations can be taxing, but a background in literature helped me to suspend judgement and try to see life through the eyes of the people I tried to help and imagine life as it might have been for me had just a few variables been different in my childhood and young adult life. That made me a more effective advocate for change in the community in which I worked.

English

Phone: (920) 403-3119
Fax: (920) 403-1086
E-mail: english@snc.edu