Think Broadly

Alumnae help students see how the liberal arts applies.

What do a law school professor, a freelance writer, a human resources director, a senior chemist, a public affairs director and an art gallery coordinator have in common?

All of them are liberal arts graduates of St. Kate's — and all spent some time on campus this spring assuring soon-to-be graduates that they would, indeed, have marketable degrees, as well as broader perspectives on the world.

Alumnae dispensed lots of advice at an event on April 28 called "What Can I Do with My Liberal Arts Major?" Their real-world wisdom could apply to people at many stages of their lives:

• "Diversify yourself while you're at St. Kate's and meet as many people as you can. It really is about who you know."
  — Kelsye Gould, theater-business and French, 2010; freelance marketer and graphic designer
  
  
• "I'm in the arts. It took me quite a while, but I finally found where I needed to be. You know when you're there that it's a good fit."
  — Anne Spooner, art, 2000; program and gallery coordinator, Edina Art Center
  
  
• "My career has been built out of twine and duct tape and gum and fairy dust. Embrace flexibility and embrace creativity. Nobody is prepared for the post-college ennui."
  — Kelly Barnhill, English, 1996; freelance writer and children's author
  
  
• "I took study-abroad courses and J-term courses. Those got me thinking outside the realm of what I thought I could do."
  — Amelia Hansa, Critical Studies of Race and Ethnicity, 2005; youth and family program coordinator, Science Museum of Minnesota
  
  
• "My current boss loved the fact that nobody but her could see the connection between my two majors. They're both abstract fields in which there's no right answer. It's all analysis and how you come to the conclusion."
  — Alison Newton, math and theology, 2004; assistant project manager, development accountant, Wellington Management
  
  
• "Be flexible. Be open to change. And follow your heart."
  — Ginny Steinhagen, history, 1980; faculty coordinator, German program, University of Minnesota
  
  
• "Take classes that interest you. Take advantage of the things around you. Once you get a job, you can't do that in your two weeks of vacation."
  — Rachel Lucking, chemistry, 1984; product engineering specialist, 3M Company