Enjoy the inaugural edition of the Belmont Undergraduate Capstones and Letters Journal, which showcases several Senior Capstone essays from various disciplines and several essays from students. In addition, the titles from the 2nd Undergraduate Belmont Abbey Research Conference are also included in this journal.

The Belmont Undergraduate Capstones and Letters Journal publishes once a year and publishes senior capstones and other essays from Belmont Abbey College (BAC) students.

If you are interested in submitting an essay to be published in future editions of the journal, please email erinjensen@bac.edu.

Click here to learn more.

February 11, 2023 By bacw Leave a Comment

English Major Looking Forward to Potential Jobs

Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Katherine Scifers

The idea of graduating college is both an exciting and very nerve-racking thing to think about. Saying that we only have about nine weeks left in the whole of the first semester, graduation is coming up faster than most seniors probably realize, and it is definitely almost here for those of us troubled souls who are graduating in December, one of which I am. No matter when the seniors are graduating, we are all concerned about what we will be doing as soon as we leave Belmont Abbey. As an English major who has absolutely no idea what I am doing once I graduate, this is extremely nerve-racking.

Having been an English major for almost my whole career at the Abbey, I have heard all the common sayings about never finding a job as an English major or that the only job I will get will be a teacher. Although being a teacher is a noble and important job, I am sure that not every English major wants to be a teacher. Therefore, I thought it might be helpful to share all the jobs I plan on applying to as an English major because I am convinced I can get a job with my degree.

The first type of job that I am applying to are jobs in social media. These jobs are new and exciting and allow for creativity. Social media jobs are great for English majors because a lot of social media actually has a lot to do with writing and rhetoric, two elements that English majors know all too well. Plus, it’s an excellent way for people who want to be creative writers to have a creative outlet and write new but short things all the time.

The next type of job that I am applying to is a reporter/journalist. These jobs are made for English majors, and I bet that each one of us English majors has dreamed about being a reporter or journalist. Therefore, we should apply for these jobs, even if we think we will not get them.

Not getting a job is not bad; the bad thing is not applying for a job because we are afraid of rejection, which goes for every major. Even if you do not meet all the requirements but want that job, you might as well apply. I mean, you never know; you might be surprised.

The last type of job that I am going to apply to is a brand strategist. This job is perfect for an English major for similar reasons to why the social media job is excellent for an English major. Both of these jobs have to do with the image, tone, and overall rhetoric of a brand, which as English majors, we are used to changing and/or presenting in a specific and well-thought-out way.

If none of these jobs sound appealing to you as an English major, I would recommend checking out Indeed’s 20 Great Jobs for English Majors. Overall, as an English major and all soon-to-be-graduates, it is crucial not to lose hope when doing a job search. Finding a job is difficult, and you will most likely get a lot of rejections, but it is all about preserving and taking risks. So, apply for that dream job and just keep on applying.

This article was originally posted in the Fall 2022, Issue 2 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue.

December 15, 2022 By radefolaju Leave a Comment

New Social Media and Digital Communications Minor

Author: Dr. Erin Jensen (Crusader Faculty Advisor), Associate Professor of English

The Social Media and Digital Communications minor just started this semester. Please contact erinjensen@bac.edu if you are interested in this minor.

The Social Media and Digital Communication minor is an interdisciplinary minor focused on providing students with increased understanding of and practical experience with using social media and digital communication. Students will have options for classes in English, Business, Digital Humanities, Computer Science, and Digital Art. As part of the coursework, students will create and run social media campaigns and engage in application assignments within their various classes. Upon completion of the courses necessary for this minor, students will have the skills necessary to find jobs in a variety of positions, including social media writing, social media management, graphic design, digital design, content creation, content strategy, digital communication, and many others. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of this minor, students from all majors would be welcome and would find that the minor complements their major studies and increases their employment opportunities.

Minor in Social Media and Digital Communication: 15 credits
Students will complete five courses (15 credits), including one required course (EN 361) and four additional courses.
Required for all students:

EN 361 Writing for Social Media (3 credits) (Taught Spring 2023 and Summer 2023)

Students will choose any four of the following courses:

EN 106: Introduction to Digital Art and Multimedia Art
CS 110: Introduction to Video Game (3 credits)
CS 243: Web Site Development (3 credits)
DH 301: Introduction to Digital Humanities (3 credits)
DH 400: Methods in the Digital Humanities (3 credits)
EN 363: Professional and Technical Writing (3 credits)
BU 315W: Business Communication (3 credits)
BU 319: Advertising and Promotion (3 credits)
Digital Communication (to be added)
EN 453 Internship or Department Internship class (3 credits)
Additional social media and digital communication-based courses as they are added to individual departments