Alumni Profile - Hanna
1 - How has your degree from BYU-Idaho affected/influenced you in your career? Additionally, how has your degree influenced your life in general?
When my husband graduated from the business department, he knew exactly where he was going. When I graduated, I didn't have a clue. While this was scary, and honestly a bit frustrating, I had to take a step back and realize that I had skills that were applicable to ANYTHING I wanted to do. I chose to take a job at a tech company. Every day I am confronted with things I don't know how to do, but instead of saying I can't do the things asked of me, I say, "I don't know how to do this now, but I am willing to learn." With this confidence in my abilities to learn, I have been able to make a positive and strong impression in my company. In my life in general, I have a greater optimism for my future that I never had before. Being a humanities major is a source of great pride for me, and with this pride, I have the confidence to tackle whatever the future brings. This helps fight off the feelings of stagnancy or inadequacy that often come after college graduation.
2 - Why did you decide to major in Humanities?
During my time at BYU-Idaho, I had three majors: history education, art history, and finally humanities. The first simply wasn't a good fit for my interests. The second was a perfect fit, but I wasn't being challenged. As long as I could regurgitate a date and an artist's name, I got an 'A'. And so, I found humanities! I loved that art history was used as a vehicle to learn about critical thinking, reading, writing, and speaking skills. I could study what I loved while acquiring priceless skills.
3 - Of what value is your Humanities degree to you?
My humanities degree is PRICELESS. I am working at a job that I love that has brought great monetary value, but this isn't why I loved my time as a humanities major. I loved my time as a humanities major because of the impact I have on the world. This feeling of worth and confidence is what is priceless. (You only gain this worth and confidence if you listen to the advice in the next answer :))
4 - What advice would you give to upcoming Humanities majors?
You have to want it. You have to go above and beyond. You can't just do the reading and show up to class expecting an 'A'. There aren't answers you're looking for in your reading assignments. Your assignments just serve as a starting point to greater analysis and thought in your personal study and deeper conversations and learning with your peers. In some classes you can just quote your favorite line out of the text and look smart--in humanities classes, you can't. You MUST develop your own ideas.
Alumni Profile - Cami
Cami Showley's life as a stay-at-home mom has been successful because she has always been an adaptive individual. When Showley first began at BYU-Idaho, the Humanities and Philosophy major did not exist but talk of it was enough for her to work with her professor to make sure she took the right classes to qualify for this major. When asked about her major, Showley said, "My major was challenging because it is somewhat open-ended, allowing each student to personalize what the focus of study is. I loved this aspect of it. I also had to be proactive and resourceful because I was blazing the trail as I went along each semester."
Despite career uncertainty, she loved to learn and felt that Humanities and Philosophy constantly engaged her mind and opened new vistas of knowledge. She knew that this degree would serve as a broad platform for any direction she chose whether it be graduate school, a full-time job, or raising children. For example, with a humanities degree, she could seek a career in advertising, foreign service, journalism, law, public administration, publishing, or teaching. The major provided her flexibility and allowed her to explore her interests.
Before meeting her husband, Showley had planned to work a year for AmeriCorps and then attend graduate school. Regarding her plans, she stated, "I felt prepared for graduate school because of the tools I gained through my classes...I even considered law school because I loved the challenge and discussions that came from studying cases and theories of justice."
While at BYU-Idaho, she learned how to be a leader, to seek truth, to work hard, and not to give up through trials or adversity. Her studies also boosted her confidence as a writer and researcher. As she studied hard, she said, "I felt confident in my ability to be a student and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and study of Humanities and Philosophy. I felt confident in researching and writing an essay on whatever topic might be presented to me."
Additionally, she learned valuable soft skills like presentation, how to conduct a meeting, and follow through with assignments. These skills help her with daily tasks at home and teaching at home or in other environments. Whether it is how to eloquently write an e-mail or the importance of understanding the past, she relies on what she learned at BYU-Idaho.
To those who are current students or those who have recently graduated, Showley advises, "Whether it is a professor, a company you are applying to, or your boss, know what they expect and play on your strengths. Be honest in seeking advice and ask for help if needed." In other words, she would advise all to understand their audience. As she practiced this in her college career she stated, "I began to feel confident in what the main ideas were and what they meant. By the time I graduated, I was a very good student- meaning I knew how to study and to be successful and to feel confident. I loved going to school because I tried my hardest and I started to figure out how to be successful in each class."
She carries the lessons she learned at college with her every day. Ultimately, and most significantly, her degree helped her learn how to learn. This was only the beginning of the journey, but it planted her feet in solid ground and gave her all the tools needed to help her children, and others, do the same. As Showley demonstrated, a Bachelor of Arts degree provides a flexibility that other degrees do not have and is an excellent platform into other pursuits. It provided her skills that changed how she viewed the world and influenced her role as a mother.
Alumni Profile - Travis
1 - How has your degree from BYU-Idaho affected/influenced you in your career? Additionally, how has your degree influenced your life in general?
My degree taught me how to balance the demands of completing challenging work on a deadline, thriving in team/group environments, and ensuring that I think critically about the best possible way of completing a task. Both in working after undergrad and in law school, my degree has continued to fuel my passion for learning. I am a better learner because of the skills my degree has afforded me, and this helps me stay curious, learn about things, in my leisure time, I didn't have a chance to in college, and develop new skills more effectively.
2 - Why did you decide to major in Humanities?
I was originally a Political Science major and found that the subject matter was too narrow and didn't allow me the broad field of study I craved. Becoming a Humanities major and Philosophy minor made it possible to have a broad range of study, yet still study political philosophy/theory, which originally drew me to the Political Science major. The Humanities major allowed me the excitement of going from one class where we discussed Aristophanes' Red-Figure vase paintings to another where we argued the virtues and vices of establishing a Utopian society to yet another class where we tried to solve the problem of consciousness. I chose the major (and minor) to learn a lot about a lot of things.
3 - Of what value is your Humanities degree to you?
While I've never needed to distinguish between the Hellenistic and Classical periods of Greek art or defend David Chalmers' Type-F Monism in the workplace or in law school, the skills to do so translate practically. My degree taught me how to untangle challenging problems, distinguish between ideas that would be good for the company and ideas that would be best for the company, and to think outside of the box-a quality many of my colleagues who don't have liberal arts backgrounds struggle to master. In my experience, most jobs, and certainly grad schools, train you to do a specific thing, but your ability to learn that thing effectively and quickly, and then enhance and refine it, is infinitely easier with the skills the Humanities major provides.
4 - What advice would you give to upcoming Humanities majors/Philosophy minors?
I regret not caring to learn how to effectively translate my theoretical, abstract skills developed in the major to pragmatic, marketable skills. It's okay to come down from the ivory tower and get your hands dirty, as it were. If you're planning on graduate or professional school, start planning and preparing to take the admissions exams (GRE, LSAT, GMAT) earlier than you think you should. Having a good score will make your life much easier. Consider coupling the Humanities major with the Philosophy minor (or the Philosophy minor with any major). I found that studying philosophy complemented by understanding of the humanities, and vice-versa, in a way that helped me excel in both fields of study. Lastly, come prepared to feast. The professors in the Humanities and Philosophy department are inspiring, learned, and willing to mentor and advise you. Take the opportunity to go to office hours and challenge ideas and work through hard problems. Some of the most fulfilling moments of my undergraduate career were spent in the offices of professors, whom I respected, debating the merits of one idea over another. The Humanities and Philosophy department is a place of great debate and learning-take advantage of it!