Campus Experience

In the English major, we are tight knit. It has been much easier to befriend my classmates within my major than those in my general education classes. I am grateful for the time we have spent together in and outside of the classroom. The classes are not only engaging but thought-provoking. The major isn't simply about learning certain subjects, but to build our critical thinking and argumentative skills. We are taught to analyze every topic and form our own ideas for a nuanced debate or report. The English major has offered me the chance to build both my creative and academic writing skills through the classes offered at Saint Leo.

Emma Garrett: Class of 2027 

The versatile English degree provides the foundation for many career paths, just as stories and narratives have provided the foundations of civilizations since humans started communicating. At Saint Leo, you explore the historical context behind why those stories exist in the first place. You’ll explore narratives from across cultures through many lenses and learn how to effectively participate in dialogue through research and analysis. The benefits are wide-reaching. I graduated with an English degree and then pursued an M.B.A. at Saint Leo. This combination has helped me navigate many roles in which effective communication, analysis, creative solutions and strategies dominate: Quality Assurance, Project Management, Paid Ads, and Search Engine Optimization. My English degree has also been instrumental in teaching me the necessary skills to publish my creative work in Dancing Girl Press and Frogpond and publish an article about data storytelling with Search Engine Land. I highly recommend the English degree at Saint Leo!

Amanda Beil: Class of 2013, Published Author, Project Manager

As an English major, I learned the power of writing and communication to motivate, change, obscure, and apologize. The program cultivated my deep curiosity about the stories we live with and who gets to tell them. I graduated from the English major with an uncanny comfort engaging in ideas, artifacts, and practices that were outside of my comfort zone. Classes created meaningful, challenging, fun, and productive discussions, moments where I was forced to commit my ideas to paper and review them with peers—the unsung moments of professional development that the English Major provides. Literature is a playground for conflict, strife, and love: The complexities of life. 

Wesley Johnson, Class of 2010—Assistant Professor

The English major continues to shape my life today. The program fostered intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and a deep appreciation for the power of clear communication. Through meaningful discussions, constructive feedback, and self-reflection, I learned how to listen, adapt, and grow. Moreover, those lessons became the foundation of a rewarding career in medical writing. For nearly two decades, I have helped communicate complex scientific research through clinical study reports, protocols, and regulatory submissions that contribute to bringing new treatments to patients.

Mary Goodwin (Stevens), Class of 2007—Medical Writer

My Saint Leo English degree laid the foundation for my career as an attorney (J.D.) and Army Public Affairs Officer. I sharpened my ability to write persuasively, learned to view an issue from multiple angles and write about it objectively, and developed my research skills. All of these are critical to my law practice today. Additionally, as a Public Affairs Officer, I supervised Army writers, editors, photographers, and videographers in the United States and abroad. This work has taken me to various locations in the U.S., Europe, South America, and Africa. Though I’ve moved over to a position in Intelligence now, the communication skills started at Saint Leo continue to benefit me today. Your English degree can take you far. 

Grant Schrantz, Class of 2015 - Attorney