Throughout the corridors of the English department, a question regularly arises: “What can you do with an English major?” For Robin Inboden, associate professor of English and department chair, the answer is simple: anything and everything.

“English major alumni are pursuing a wide range of surprisingly different careers,” Inboden said. “The English curriculum at Wittenberg is focused on students’ needs, and I think there are a lot of ways in the curriculum that we encourage students to tailor the major to their interests.”

Currently, the department offers two tracks for study. The first is the traditional literature track.“We have a wide variety of courses that will allow you to immerse yourself in plays, poems, stories, novels and essays that will transport you to other places, other cultures, other times and other people’s lives,” Inboden said.

“From Shakespeare to the revolutions of the late 18th century to the Harlem Renaissance to contemporary poets, there’s a wealth of expertise and exploration in our course offerings.” The second track is the writing track. Started in the mid-1990s, this track affords students the opportunity to build on their literature foundation and write in a number of diverse genres.

Because of the way it is constructed, the English major at Wittenberg, whether it is in writing or literature, helps student write effectively and give sound analyses of what they read, Inboden explained.

In addition, students can create their own unique learning experiences through internships, independent studies and a senior honors thesis.“In all these ways, you can add your personal touch to your English major,” Inboden said.

The department also regularly adjusts to writing trends and student interests in its curriculum. English, like many other fields, has noticeably changed during the last 20 years, Inboden noted.

“The field has changed in the growth of literary theory as a field unto itself and in a shifting kaleidoscope of which literary theory is fashionable at any given time,” she said. “The makeup of the professorate has also shifted dramatically, with many more women in the field both as teachers and as students.”

Moreover, the department at Wittenberg has changed in terms of expertise and composition. Only three of the professors hired in the 1960s are still in the department, and two of them are in the process of retiring, Inboden explained.“With new hiring has come a shift in the fields of expertise covered by department members,” Inboden said.

“This reflects changing fields in the discipline of English as well as in our standard curriculum.” As a result, the department has added a number of courses, especially upper-level literature courses, such as “Studies in 20th- Century Literature and Culture.” Creative nonfiction and technical writing are among the available writing courses.

“We have always had teachers who taught everything from freshmen composition to upper-level classes in their fields of interest, but now we have many people in the department who incorporate work on film, theory or some field of writing with their literary field of specialization,” Inboden said.

With an annual graduating class of about 60 English majors, the department also relies heavily on its alumni for networking and career advice.

Jen Danquist ’00, for example, who now works at Random House Inc. in New York City, returned to campus during the 2000-2001 academic year to recruit seniors interested in the publishing industry for a summer-long seminar at the Denver Publishing Institute.

Other alumni are pursuing master’s or Ph.D. programs in English or creative writing or teaching English in high schools around the country. A number of graduates are practicing law, performing on stage or working in the print media, public relations and advertising or with management training programs at major corporations.

“We also have some former students working at major media studios for such shows as The West Wing and for such networks as Comedy Central,” Inboden said. Michael Nigro ’88 is using his English background to write for ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire.

He has already written more than 2,000 questions for the popular evening game show. Despite these success stories, the department will face some challenges in the near future.

The new communication major, for example, will attract more students in general to Wittenberg, but it may compete with English majors concentrating in writing, Inboden explained.

In terms of job placement, the market for doctorates is also extremely tight.“The competition for faculty positions is very difficult,” Inboden said. Still, Inboden strongly believes that the skills English majors acquire through the program far outweigh the challenges.

English majors take with them a love of reading and a curiosity about the world around them, she said.“English is a major that enhances not only the skills with which to make a living, but also the skills with which to live a more rewarding life.”

— Karamagi Rujumba ’03