Department of English opens new resource for students

9:46 a.m., Feb. 24, 2016--The University of Delaware Department of English opened its brand-new Advising and Career Center on Thursday, Feb. 18, in 119 Memorial Hall.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony, complete with a pair of oversized scissors, was held to celebrate the center’s purpose in serving as a resource for students. 

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Established to support new department requirements that encourage majors and minors to design their own individualized courses of study, the center will focus on current and prospective English majors and minors. 

“The role of adviser is going to be very critical in this streamlined curriculum that gives students more responsibility,” George Watson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said at the center’s opening. He noted how much the requirements have changed since his own son became an English major about 15 years ago.

The updated curriculum, Watson said, reflects the wide range of careers that English majors go on to pursue.

The center will be a convenient and timely resource for students to get help and advice, said John Ernest, professor and chair of the department.

“When you have a small advising question on Monday, you don’t have to wait until Thursday when you can meet with your faculty adviser to get the answer,” he said. “We’re here for you.”

In addition to offering advisement services to students, the center was created to allow career path collaboration among current and prospective English and English education majors and English and writing minors. 

Ernest said the center will help students in the major connect with alumni and find internship and career opportunities. It aims to provide students with the resources for mapping out a variety of career paths in the fields of business, government, science, the arts, education, multimedia production and more.

“In collaboration with Career Services here at UD, the English Department’s Advising and Career Center can start helping you plan for your future much more deliberately than we have in the past,” Ernest said. 

Article by Christopher Razzano

Photos by Evan Krape