Three Trinity College alumnae recently returned to campus to talk about how their careers were influenced and supported by their experiences as English majors.
Gail Brussel ’90, deputy director of publicity for Penguin Press, Leslie Fitzgerald ’12, partner and client CIO for Partners Capital, and Kelly Vaughan ’17, recipe editor for The TODAY Show, spoke on February 11 at the Smith House about how an English degree from Trinity can help students succeed in a variety of fields after graduation.
Christopher Hager, Hobart Professor of the Humanities and Professor of English and the moderator of the discussion, said that the annual event shows students that the skills they learn from the English Department are valuable and versatile. “English isn’t just a degree people find intellectually rewarding, but something that you can use practically,” he said.
The first question asked the panelists how they are using what they learned at Trinity in their current jobs.
Fitzgerald said, “We all picked an English major because we love to read. If you’re not intellectually curious, I think it’s really hard to be successful in anything… That baseline gives you a step up regardless of what you do, and I think it’s very hard to be bored by new things if you’re interested in English.”
Vaughan responded that Trinity helped her become a better communicator, both professionally and personally. “I think a liberal arts education was certainly a huge foundation for what I do now,” she said.
Brussel added, “Getting your argument across, being clear, not everyone can do that. Also, something about being here [at Trinity], figuring out the places I felt like myself on campus, the places [where] I feel comfortable… it’s helpful when looking for a job and being able to recognize those feelings.”
Coincidentally, all three women had concentrations within their English majors in creative writing. During the panel, they discussed how they use storytelling in their various jobs, highlighting that not only did their degree teach them how to write and convey thoughts, but to think and communicate critically across all different areas of life.
The panelists also went on to discuss how their different experiences at Trinity—whether it was working at Peter B’s Espresso for Vaughan, being on the mock trial team for Fitzgerald, or, as Brussel put it, “being in classes that taught me things I never would have known otherwise”—were helpful and contributed to them being the people they are now.
Finally, the alumnae were asked what they wished someone had told them while they were students at Trinity.
“Trust your voice and your sense of what you like,” said Brussel. “That will lead you to the kind of success you want to have.”
Vaughan then joked that she wished someone had told her, “You will get a job and it will all be okay,” which was met with smiles and laughs from the crowd of college students who may not know what to expect for life after graduation.
Fitzgerald then advocated for how useful Bantam connections are. She advised the audience to reach out to alumni living in their hometown or working in their anticipated field, emphasizing the prominence of the Trinity community even after graduation.
Julia Fox ’26 and Ella Turrentine ’26 were among the current English majors who were at the discussion to hear from the alumnae. Fox said that she plans to attend graduate school for business, marketing, or communications, and that the panelists encouraged her to pursue her goals. “I’m scared of getting started, but these alums have inspired me to jump into the future,” she said.
Turrentine added, “I’m inspired to follow my passions and what I love, and not let fear bring me down. That’s the true spirit of the English Department at Trinity.”
English Department Alumni Panel
English Department Alumni Panel
