“From isolated hamlets in Afghanistan to America’s inner cities, I find myself relying on the analytical skills I learned while unpacking Milton with Reid Barbour and interpreting twentieth century poetry with Bill Harmon. The key, then and now, is understanding people at the most fundamental level through their stories and through their language.”

“I benefited so much from my years studying in and around Greenlaw Hall, encouraged by the incredible professors, the variety of unique programs for undergraduates (like the PIT Journal, or studying Shakespeare in London and Oxford), and the active literary scene around campus, especially in poetry. The experience was unforgettable, and not to mention the best possible preparation for the path I chose to follow of becoming an English professor.”

“As a practicing attorney, the skills that I honed while taking classes within UNC’s English Department have proven highly beneficial. In my job, I have to research and analyze applicable law and various documents, ultimately communicating my findings and making arguments on behalf of my clients. Those are skills which have their foundation in my college years and the classes I took with UNC’s English Department.”

“Dr. Coleman’s course was one of the most rigorous I completed at Carolina. He continually pushed me to “think harder, Ms. Goward” and move beyond simple analysis to an understanding of the broader historical and sociological implications of the texts we read in class…After 9/11 I wanted to make a stronger impact on my community, and I thought back to how much Dr. Coleman influenced me to go beyond what is required and to develop intellectually. I went back to school [….] and recently completed my doctoral degree in education at George Washington University.”

With my college degree in literature, I spent four years “developing critical thinking and communication skills. There is no doubt that those skills are directly correlated to my professional success.”

The English Department at Carolina ” led me toward a love of literature, the liberal arts, unconventional wisdom, humor, a certain sophomore in my creative writing class who’s my wife now of 27 years.”