An Articulation of the Value of English and Writing Degrees 54

There are many examples in higher education literature and the media that argue the value of liberal arts degrees, but the reality is that the numbers of enrolled students are still declining. Program directors in need of resources to build internship initiatives must become public scholars and work across disciplinary lines within their communities to maintain support for internships serving humanities students. Richard Broadhead and John W. Rowe’s project,

The Heart of the Matter: The Humanities and Social Sciences for a Vibrant, Competitive, and Secure Nation, argues for the importance of liberal arts degrees. The report states, “The

humanities and social sciences provide an intellectual framework and context for understanding and thriving in a changing world. When we engage with these subjects, we learn not only what

but how” (4). The report relies on statistics such as “three out of four employers want schools to place more emphasis on the skills that the humanities and social sciences teach: critical thinking and complex problem-solving, as well as written and oral communication” (5). This project, led by the president of Duke University (Broadhead) and the retired Chairman and CEO of Exelon Corporation (Rowe), reveals how public scholarship creates opportunities for discussions about what humanities degrees impart to students. It is essential that faculty working with community partners seize the opportunities to have these conversations. In my experience, this has led to the creation of community learning experiences, including internships, for college students in English.

Although they have voiced respect for the writing skills and abilities of English majors, Atlanta business community executives and managers have communicated to me that they do not see how English majors fit into their organizational structures. As a result, many qualified, motivated students have likely missed opportunities to connect with businesses that could inform their learning and provide valuable professional experiences. In addition, employers have lost opportunities to have excellent professionals employed by their companies. Yes, professional degrees are needed but so are the skills developed by students in English degree programs.

Leon Botstein, President of Bard College, also recognizes this problem. He contends that one of the main problems with the move away from humanities programs are the failures of program and university leaders to articulate the value of humanities degrees. According to Bolsten, “We have failed to make the case that those skills are as essential to engineers and scientists and businessmen as to philosophy professors” (Lewin). These failures have contributed to the decline in student enrollment in these degree programs. The narratives in the media that raise questions about how degrees in subjects such as English, history, and anthropology will prepare students for lives and careers outside of these fields after college often do not encourage increased enrollment or support arguments that humanities degrees are a wise investment. The focus on the economic value of higher education is evidenced by any number of articles,

including a May 2013 article in Time Magazine entitled, “Money Talking: Is College Worth It?” This article, like many others question the economic return on degrees, particularly those from humanities programs.

Numerous rhetoric and composition scholars have refuted the criticism that English and humanities degrees fail to prepare students for their lives after college. Linda Adler-Kassner and Peggy O’Neill, in Reframing Writing Assessment to Improve Teaching and Learning, not only

question the incomplete nature of the critical public narrativesbut also, like Bolsten, call upon writing program administrators and instructors to actively engage in shaping the argument of what college should do and can be. Adler-Kassner and O’Neill recognize that it takes more than the telling of success stories to inform and influence public perception:

Successful reframing effort involves creating a conceivable model . . . grounded in a track record of content and practice. We cannot emphasize this latter point enough— story-changing is more than just window dressing through language (what those outside of our field pejoratively refer to as “just rhetoric”)—it requires simultaneously

conceptualizing, acting upon, and representing work thoughtfully grounded in research, method, and practices. (183)

Adler-Kassner and O’Neill also address the need for more public discussions around the topic of the work of writing programs and assessment. As mentioned previously, this presents

opportunities to assert the value of English and humanities degrees by moving students into internships that allow employers to see the skills and abilities of students in these programs.

Working through curriculum design and student empowerment, internships can refute the critics who fail to see the strengths and preparedness of English students for positions in

industry. In addition, placing our students in industry help faculty members discern the needs of twenty-first century employers. David J. Coogan and John M. Ackerman note in the introduction to The Public Work of Rhetoric: Citizen Scholars and Public Engagement: “rhetoric is in the midst of discovering anew its usefulness . . . [the] locations and practices are vital to rhetoric’s ongoing efforts to renew itself and to demonstrate our relevance locally and for a changing world” (1).

Dominic Delli Carpini further explores these ideas when he writes, “As literacy educators, we must acknowledge that current perceptions of higher education present serious challenges to our work” (546). Internships present opportunities to create new narratives not simply by telling others but by showing others. For example, literary studies students can intern with scholarly journals or publishers where familiarity with authors and research prepares them to read submissions, copyedit, check citations, or create a database of articles. Creative writing students could intern with political campaigns or law firms where the ability to write narratives enables them to craft elevator pitches for publicity programs or biographical sketches for a firm resume. Rhetoric and composition students could intern with non-profit organizations where strong composition and analytical skills would help them to review and summarize archival records or draft sections of a website. These are just a few of the possibilities for students who are given the chance to connect academic exercises to workplace writing. While it may not be the responsibility of English professors to ensure students find gainful employment upon graduation, through the implementation of internship programs, students see how English degrees can lead to rich, rewarding professional lives, and faculty members can confirm that existing pedagogical practices respond to the needs and demands of students and employers. As discussed in Chapter One of this project, it is important to consider not only how internships can shape the kinds of relevant and viable learning outcomes and exercises that transform the educational experiences of college students but also what is meant by the term “internships.” Program directors need to determine what qualifies as an internship if course credit will be awarded. Early in this project, I established a working definition for internships:

internships are opportunities that move students from traditional classrooms to professional settings for experiential learning, providing opportunities for students to apply skills learned in

their courses to workplace projects and activities. At this juncture, it seems important to discuss how internships differ from other experiential or work-based learning opportunities. In the next section, I will explore the term “work-based learning” and identify three initiatives that share some common goals with internships (O’Connor 60).