FROM PASSION TO PROFESSION

Career guidance and internship programs in the College of Arts and Sciences help students find opportunities that align with their interests

By University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences By David Menconi

Tim Watson, a professor in the Department of English and Creative Writing, teaches a class called Arts and Humanities in Professional and Public Life. The course schedule includes a half dozen lectures by visiting alumni, and Watson has given these presentations a cheeky title: “What Are You Going to Do With That?”

To a person, every one of his students has been asked that very question by family and friends about their decision to major in the humanities. But the way Watson sees it, majoring in the humanities gives students a real-world career boost.

“These are challenging times across all disciplines and programs, not just the humanities,” said Watson. “AI is changing things so broadly, who knows what the next five years will bring? But there may well be a premium for the skills students learn in humanities. Writing, communication, presentation, and critical thinking can help you stand out. Students might not think that learning to write poetry gives you a leg up, but I think it really does.”

Since it’s never too early to start networking, the University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences has a robust infrastructure in place to give students the best possible head start. Watson’s class is one of several initiatives across the college that help launch students.

Tim Watson teaches a class called Arts and Humanities in Professional and Public Life. Photo credit: Ony Dunnam/University of Miami

Stephen Halsey, an associate professor in the Department of History, has assembled an online LinkedIn community of 400 history alumni for students to connect with, and the department has asked some of those alumni to share their career experiences with students. Julia Dallman, an associate professor in the Department of Biology, teaches a biology seminar similar to Watson’s class in which she enlists alumni to talk to students about career paths in the sciences. And Jan Sokol-Katz, a distinguished senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, runs her department’s internship program through a three-credit class. Other departments have additional internship and mentorship initiatives.

“Internships offer students the chance to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings, gaining insight into potential career paths and developing practical skills. Sometimes, students discover new interests or realize their original plans might shift, which is an important part of their growth. For example, a student might intern with the state attorney’s office and later find a passion for working with the public defender’s office,” said Sokol-Katz.

Jan Sokol-Katz, left, poses for a photo with Laurie Kahn, the senior program manager at Branches, a nonprofit where several of Sokol-Katz’s students are interning. Photo credit: Jenny Abreu/University of Miami

Julia Dallman invites alumni to talk to students about career paths in the sciences. Photo credit: Nicole Curtin/University of Miami

Indeed, these college experiences can inspire some unexpected career possibilities. One of the guest speakers in Watson’s class was a creative writing major who went to work for Everglades National Park after graduation. And after starting out with plans to go to medical school, one of Dallman’s biology students ended up in graduate school studying developmental biology instead.

“A lot of biology students start out thinking they want to go to med school,” said Dallman. “But then they may realize it’s not for them, or they might not have the MCAT score that makes that a possibility. It’s possible to navigate that in a very positive way. These classes have real-life stories where you see that it’s okay. It’s rewarding to see kids gain the sense that it’s okay to be excited about something, and it may actually work out in the end.”

Sometimes, all students need is reassurance from a trusted mentor.

“Students are hungry for these kinds of conversations and mentoring,” said Watson. “A lot of them need to hear that this work they enjoy is something they can carry forward into something satisfying, with a decent salary and life to come.”

Footnotes

Cover photo: Jan Sokol-Katz, center, meets with students in the internship program she runs in the Department of Sociology and Criminology. Photo credit: Jenny Abreu/University of Miami

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FootNotes

Cover photo: Jan Sokol-Katz, center, meets with students in the internship program she runs in the Department of Sociology and Criminology. Photo credit: Jenny Abreu/University of Miami