Career Stories

Our Stories

There's no single path for an EPML graduate: our students have gone on to become counselors and teachers, lawyers and academics, writers and entrepeneurs.

On this page, just a few of our alumni will offer their advice and their own perspective on how the skills they learned at WT prepared them for their later careers.

What advice do you have for our students as they look to establish their careers?

Attorney, San Francisco

Roman Leal, BA 2019

Tap into the resources of WT! Your professors and classmates can do more to help you achieve your goals than a diploma ever could. WT’s greatest strength is that it’s a small, tight-knit community, making it easy to find friends and mentors. Tell people about your ambitions, ask for advice, go to office hours, and invite classmates out for coffee. The people at WT come from diverse backgrounds and many different stages in life; their wisdom and insight can open doors that you might never have known existed!  

Small Business Owner, Blogger, Freelance Writer

McKenzie O'Grady

I would place less emphasis on the idea of finding a calling—some grand idea—and focus more on giving wholehearted effort to the task that’s immediately upcoming. For some, the next responsibility will be crafting a résumé, sending a thoughtful email, or application. One should never underestimate the value of these small, seemingly imperceptible steps. Perform them with energy, integrity, and grace. Nearly every opportunity I have been given came to me because of an email I sent—the elegance and care with which I handled some small assignment. There may have been various reasons why I was entrusted with a position or opportunity, but most often it was not because I was so spectacularly qualified, but rather because I was willing to treat a small task with great care (“that was a lovely email you sent,” or “you handled that issue with poise.”). Opportunities are fleeting and often come in the form of tests, so we’re not even aware when we’re encountering one. For all these reasons, I would encourage students to treat each day’s work—whatever that looks like-- with reverence and gratitude. Go full out, even if it seems there’s no reason to.

ELA Teacher, Palo Duro High School

David Willis (MA 2011)

I think most graduates think unless the job is copy editing or writing their degree doesn’t apply, but in my experience, the soft skills you learn as an English major are critical to the workplace. Most bosses are looking for employees who communicate effectively, know when and how to be civil, and can tackle complex tasks with attention to detail.  Sounds like any night in a Romanticism course to me.  So, don’t sell your skills short.  Think about what you’ve learned and how you learned it.  Think about the tasks you had to complete, and what you went through to meet them.  English majors are a particularly tenacious lot, so make sure you let your potential employers know that. 

What was the most useful thing you learned from classes in EPML?

Assistant Principal, Pampa

Michelle Jensen, BA 2012, MA 2014

I learned how to question everything and this allowed me to develop an understanding of myself and my belief systems.  I also learned tolerance and how to problem solve.  English encompasses everything, so it helped me figure out how to link ideas, people, history, politics, religion, ethics, and morality.  It's more than reading books and writing, it's about learning how to think for yourself and then communicate it professionally and academically. 

Licensed Professional Counselor, Amarillo

Caleb Baker, BA 2013

The most useful thing I learned in my EPML classes was the idea that I could really listen to someone else and hear their viewpoint on something while also still having my own. I loved when we would discuss texts in classes because it meant I got to hear what other students (and the instructor/professor) thought about the texts. This really has helped me to listen to and honor my clients while also offering my own take on whatever issue they might be facing. 