College Experiences That Helped a Self-Employed Independent Writer and Editor Succeed
Kathryn's undergraduate experience involved exploring diverse opportunities—"I didn't say no very often"—including campus radio and newspaper work, and taking varied electives for a "well-rounded liberal arts education." This broad approach, building knowledge across many areas, proved highly beneficial for their writing career, demonstrating the value of a holistic education.
Communication, Well-Rounded Education, Liberal Arts, Career Exploration, Writing Skills
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kathryn McKenzie (Kathy to my friends)
Independent writer/editor
Self-Employed
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
No graduate programs
Creative Writing, Journalism
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Creative
Honors Student
Video Highlights
1. Explore diverse experiences: Kathryn emphasizes the importance of trying different things and not saying no to opportunities. This suggests taking advantage of extracurricular activities like working at the campus radio station or newspaper, to gain practical skills and explore interests.
2. Pursue a well-rounded education: Kathryn highlights the value of a liberal arts education, recommending students take a variety of electives to broaden their knowledge base. This approach helps develop versatile skills applicable to various writing roles.
3. Develop general knowledge: Kathryn notes that having knowledge about various subjects is beneficial for a writing career. This emphasizes the importance of a broad education and continuous learning beyond any specific major or focus area.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
I tried a lot of different things and didn't say no very often. Ultimately, it was not things that I decided to go into, but I did work at the campus radio station for a while.
I also worked on the newspaper. I'm trying to think what else I did. I took a lot of different electives to just kind of see what was interesting to me and what I wanted to explore further.
I feel like I had a well-rounded liberal arts education. I think that's what you want to do: make yourself a well-rounded person with a little bit of knowledge about everything. That will help you in any kind of writing career.
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