BA in English

Shannon Toole, 2014

Shannon Toole

What work are you doing now?

I recently moved to Madison, Wisconsin, to pursue a J.D. at the University of Wisconsin Law School. Before starting at UW, I worked as the enrichment coordinator for the KAUST Gifted Student Program (KGSP) at the Institute of International Education in Washington, D.C.

What do you like about it?

Although I just started my 1L year, the law school's challenging, diverse, and open environment has fostered rewarding, and often challenging, discussions about domestic and international legal and cultural issues. I enjoy engaging in a new way of critical thinking. The Socratic method of teaching used in law schools, although challenging, is very rewarding.

How did your degree in the college prepare you to do this work?

My English degree helped me develop many useful skills, including attention to detail, advanced writing, and critical analysis. The skill I have found to be the most useful is the ability to examine issues from multiple perspectives. Although this is particularly crucial to the legal profession, I was able to practice this skill in my previous job working on various data and research projects. Employers, no matter what profession, appreciate a diverse and flexible approach to work. My English degree afforded me that and more.

What advice would you give current students about developing their careers?

Take rejection from a job or a graduate program not as proof of failure or inadequacy, but as an opportunity for growth. Contact the workplace or graduate school and ask for feedback on why you didn't get the position and where you can improve in the future. Viewing failure as a learning opportunity will change your perspective and give you the confidence to move forward.