Cory Sprinkel - 2017
Position title: Higher Education, Community Engagement
Pronouns: he/him
What career pathway have you pursued since your time in the UW-Madison English major?
Higher education and community engagement. I pursued my masters in higher education and student affairs from the University of Connecticut. Now I’m back at UW-Madison, working with the Morgridge Center for Public Service as the Community Engaged Scholarship Specialist. My role revolves around supporting UW faculty and staff to integrate community into their teaching and research. Connected to this role, I recently co-authored a book with UW colleagues titled “Preparing students to engage in equitable community partnerships.” (the writing process would have been even more challenging if it hadn’t been for my English degree!)
What did you enjoy about the English major?
I appreciated the wide array of classes that I was able to take as an English major – courses that got me thinking more critically, historically, and personally. I loved my courses with Professor Zimmerman, which I believe made me a much stronger writer. And I credit Ramzi Fawaz’s courses for helping me understand more about myself as a queer man and for fueling my interest in liberated futures for LGBTQ+ folks.
How did your time as an English major prepare you for your current work? What skills do humanities students bring to your industry?
Communication! The English major helped me to improve my written and verbal communication – allowing me to effectively communicate with multiple audiences and to clearly articulate complex ideas. My coursework helped me to think more critically about all the media I consume personally and professionally – to clarify my own understanding of social issues and connect them meaningfully to my work with UW staff and students and the broader community.
What is one piece of career advice you would offer our English undergraduates?
Think broadly. What I love about the English degree is how versatile it is. There are so many jobs out there that do not necessarily align with specific majors or disciplines, and as more and more work becomes interdisciplinary the importance of keeping an open mind is so important. Personally, I focus on finding positions and career pathways that align with my personal values and help me be connected to others. Try lots of things and find what feels right to you, don’t feel limited by your major.
Other majors, certificates, or key points of involvement during time at UW:
Certificates in Educational Policy Studies and LGBT Studies