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Talking to College Students about Their Choice of Major INTERVIEWS
We have become so oriented to a reductionist problem-solving mentality that we seem to be seeking solutions all of the time. It appears we either continuously apply solutions that trigger the problem originally or we apply a solution that solves the problem by creating another problem of a different order. Hence, even the most well- inten - tioned solution falls short because it is not deeply or properly situated within its larger context. By developing a greater context-sensitivity and by reflecting on our deeply held beliefs and assump - tions we can begin to properly address the issues we face.
Interviewed by MaryGrace Wajda
JENNA CORCORAN B.A. in Classics
Greek and Roman Art Department and I believe that connection between my major and the internship is much more ostensible. MGW : Do you think the arts/humanities gets a bad reputation when it comes to concerns about getting a job after college? Have you ever experienced this stigma and if so, how did you handle it? Jenna: I do think that the humanities/arts get a bad reputation when it comes to corporate success. I think that people believe that it is somehow softer/easier; that the academic rigor in the humanities is nowhere near that of a business degree. I have experienced this stigma. At this point I don’t let it phase me because I am confident in who I am and what I can do. I don’t think of my education as a waste of time in the same way that others might view my major and that difference in perspective grants a lot of patience. So long as I can see the value, which I thoroughly do, I can weather any reaction. If I feel particularly up to it, I might even try to persuade them toward my point of view.
Jenna: I receive backlash at times. Mostly I find that I encounter ignorance. Most people don’t know what a Classics major is.
Jenna: As far as my degree is concerned, I think I will frame it. With the education, I have accumulated in this field, I hope to apply it to any number of things. One of my passions right now is food. I would really love to get into the realm of food studies/food security. I am currently applying a dual path to that goal by preparing both to apply for law schools as well as graduate programs.
Jenna has worked in the Admissions Office at her college, and she also studied abroad in Athens, Greece. Thanks for taking the time to talk, Jenna!
MGW: I have found that as well. Have you ever had a job or an internship?
Jenna: Yes. I intern at the Schenectady Greenmarket and will intern at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
MGW: How did you choose your major in Classics
MGW: Do you think your major is practical? Why or why not? Does it even matter?
Jenna: I chose to study the Classics because I loved Latin in high school. It was something for which I had an aptitude, but it still challenged and interested me in an exciting way. There is also an immersive quality to the process when working on classical texts. It’s not work that you can do while watching Netflix, talking to your mom, and at a table with all your friends. It is something you have to dive into. MGW: What do you hope to do with your degree? How do you think you will apply what you have learned after graduation?
MGW: Congratulations! How do you think studying Classics relates to those internships?
Jenna: I do think that my major is practical. To distill my major to a very utilitarian form, it does impart crucial and transferable skills that I could go on to use in any field such as writing or critical thinking. But I also believe my major to be more than a vessel of applied critical thinking. In spite of my assertion that my major is in fact practical I don’t think that it matters. What matters is if people are satisfied with their major, if it motivates them, and if they excel in it. A practical major is only as useful and valuable as the person pursuing it.
Jenna: The Greenmarket is a community run initiative. It is a large collection of people who are passionate about food, working to organize the community because they love to do so. My major is not a common choice, but when asked to explain that I love it, it shows to employers that I am not afraid to pursue my passions, and I take on what means the most to me. At the museum, I will be doing a curation internship in the Ancient
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