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Humanities At Work
Launched by the Humanities Institute in 2017, in partnership with the School of Humanities, the Humanities at Work initiative aims to showcase the crucial role of humanities education and humanistic approaches in democratic society and professional life. The initiative includes lectures, alumni panels, and online resources.
A Statement from the Director: Humanities and Careers
Humanities and Careers Alumni Panel
The intellectual rigor and creativity of the Humanities have always prepared students to be leaders in a variety of careers. In today’s rapidly shifting professional world, this is truer than ever before. But don’t take our word for it. Listen to some of our humanities alumni as they discuss the posititve impact a liberal arts degree has had on their careers.
Jennifer Locke ’03, English and Spanish Major | Women’s Studies Minor 9:04
Sarah Howe Elliott, PMP ’07, History Major | Art History, Asian Studies, and Classical Studies Minor 17:53
Megan Kuzniewski ’13, English and Art History Major | Philosophy Minor 26:23
Ariel Miranda ‘15, Philosophy Major | Peace & Justice Studies and Business Law Minor 33:27
Ashley Allen ‘01
President, 24/7 Wall Street
James Martin ‘94
Deputy Editor, ESPN
Stephanie Oliver ‘15
Account Executive, Indeed.com
Jen Di Simone ‘08
Talent Acquisition Recruiter, Corporate Finance NBC
Lauren Shortt ‘91
Vice President of Corporate Marketing,
National Director of Retail Marketing, First Republic Bank
Humanities Careers On The Rise: News & Resources
Think the humanities don’t lead to career success? Think again. Below is a small sample of the recent national groundswell of advocacy for the humanities in professions and society.
Why "Worthless" Humanities Degrees May Set You Up for Life
Engineers Sprint Ahead, but Don't Underestimate the Poets
Four Reasons the Future Will Rely on Humanities Majors
Humanities Majors Lead in Medical School Admissions
Student Support From Faculty, Mentors Varies by Major
In Defense of the Liberal Arts
In a High-Tech World, Humanities and Other Liberal Arts Are More Essential Than Ever
Four Keys to Staying Employed in the Future
If You Want Your Child to Succeed, Don't Sell Liberal Arts Short
Robert E. Rubin: Philosophy Prepared Me for a Career in Finance and Government
The Art of Learning: Why Art History Might be the Most Important Subject You Could Study Today
Google Self-Study Shows Humanities Degrees Crucial in Tech Industry
The Atlantic on “The Unexpected Value” of the Liberal Arts
Why US Business Majors Are in Desperate Need of a Liberal-Arts Education – The Atlantic
A Liberal Arts Degree Is More important than Ever – Forbes
Don’t Let False Economic Assumptions Keep you from a Liberal Arts Degree – US NEWS
CEO and Leading Medical Professor Cites Increasing Importance of a Liberal Arts Degree
Only Connect . . . The Goals of a Liberal Arts Education
Lecture & Panel Series
Alice Weaver Flaherty, PhD
The Midnight Disease
Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at 6 p.m.
Kelley Center Presentation Room
Dr. Flaherty (MD, Harvard; Mass General Hospital) is a prominent neurologist who studies the neural basis of creativity. She has authored widely popular books on the topic, including The Midnight Disease, which focuses on the compulsion to write and the experience of writer’s block. She is also an eloquent public voice in defense of the role of arts and creativity in medicine. Her talk will draw from The Midnight Disease as well as new, unpublished work on the intersections between empathy, affect, art, and medicine.
This event is sponsored in part by the College of Arts and Sciences Office of the Dean, the Health Studies program, the MFA in Creative Writing program, and the Core Writing program.
Alumni Panel on the Humanities and Careers
Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at 6 p.m.
Barone Campus Center Oak Room
Join four Fairfield University alumni for a panel discussion and Q&A showcasing the profound impact that humanities education has on careers and society.
Featured Panelists:
- Jason Mancini, PhD, (History ’94), Executive Director of Connecticut Humanities
- Courtney Darts, Esq (Art History/ English ’01), Legal Director, Pro Bono Partnership, NYC
- Matt Pecoraro, MSW (Philosophy; Classical Studies ’11), Public Policy Associate at Harvard Medical School’s Judge Baker Children's Center
- Carolyn Marino (English; Spanish & Religious Studies minor ’11), MSc International Relations (Univ. of Edinburgh), Program Coordinator, the Committee on Global Thought, Columbia University.
Christopher Schaberg, PhD
“No Ideas but in Phones: Inventing the Cellular Humanities”
Thursday, November 1, 2018 at 6 p.m.
Kelley Center Presentation Room
Dr. Christopher Schaberg, author of The Work of Literature in an Age of Post-Truth, reflects on the increasing pervasiveness of smartphones in a range of academic, social, and economic contexts with a look at how critical humanities approaches can help us bracket and reconsider these ubiquitous, hyper-textual devices.
Dr. Schaberg is a Dorothy Harrell Brown Distinguished Professor of English at Loyola University of New Orleans and author of multiple books on postmodern cultural studies. His lecture is free and open to the public
Christian Madsbjerg
Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm
Tuesday, November 14, 2017 at 7 p.m.
Dolan School of Business Dining Room
Acclaimed author and famed business strategist Christian Madsbjerg emphasizes the imperative role the humanities play in today’s data-driven marketplace in his latest book Sensemaking: The Power of Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm. Madsbjerg draws on his work with some of the world’s largest companies — Ford, Adidas, and Chanel — to address society’s overwhelming reliance on big data and prove that “sensemaking,” a holistic humanities-based approach to problem solving, is equally if not more important in running a successful business.
Madsbjerg is the founder and senior partner at ReD Associates, a strategy consulting company based in the human sciences that guides companies toward smarter strategy using the principles of anthropology and phenomenology.
This event is free and open to the public and is presented by the Humanities Institute of the College of Arts & Sciences and the Dolan School of Business.