Graphic Arts Student

Patty Peltekos

Major(s): English Literature

Additional Degrees: Certificate, Radcliffe Publishing Procedures Course

Current Job Title: Graphic Arts Student

Organization:

Brief description of your job:

I'm returning to school for a two‑year degree in graphic arts, as a complement to my B.A. in English and as way to add to my publishing industry skills.

Other job titles you have held:

Managing editor, manuscript editor, copy editor, proofreader, waitress, bicycle salesperson

How have you found these positions?

I've used many resources to find my jobs: friends, word of mouth, newspapers, trade publications ("Publishers Weekly")

What skills from your degree do you use in your current work?

This is a hard question for me to answer because I usually don't think of specific skills I learned while in college. What I value most about my liberal arts studies is being introduced to the world of ideas. When you study the liberal arts, you learn how to think, how to solve problems‑‑and that means you're prepared to do just about anything, regardless of the specific skills involved. It's hard for me to imagine not having a liberal arts education because it gives you, the student, such a solid foundation for understanding the world. I'm especially aware of this because I'm a student again and, while there may not seem to be a strong link between English literature and the graphic arts, I am constantly aware of how my college studies influence what, and how, I'm learning today. Having a sense of history, an awareness of the past, is critical to being a citizen.

What advice do you have for current students?

Read! Read everything you can get your hands on, and then think about what you've read. Spend time with books; spend time in every library a bookstore you have access to. Support your public library. I've moved around quite a lot and one of the first things I would do after moving in was to get a library card. Libraries and bookstores are incredible resources: use them. Find ways to bring your studies to life by going to the theater, musical performances, and museums. No matter what you think about politics or politicians, remember to vote!