Austin College Humanities Alumni to Share Career Path Stories
SHERMAN, TEXAS—The Austin College Professionalism and the Humanities Leadership Program (PATH) will welcome six alumni as panelists for the semi-annual Humanities Alumni Panel on Thursday, February 22, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Wright Campus Center, Mabee Hall. The event is free and open to the public; registration by February 15 is encouraged at PATH Alumni Panel Registration.
The panel, titled “Explore, Belong, Make a Difference: Humanities Alumni Share their Career Path Stories,” explores how humanities degrees have benefited Austin College alumni Liz Davenport ’07, Molly Zhang ’17, Graham Painter ’98, Kaylin Nickol ’96, Annie Hardy ’02, and Jennifer Tepper ’99 in their career endeavors. Attendees will learn how a degree in the humanities can shape their future careers, with work ranging across industry lines.
Organizers hope to dispel common misconceptions of the humanities, and demonstrate the ways an Austin College education leads students to make a difference post-graduation. Dr. Claire Wolnisty, Associate Professor of History and Director of PATH, comments on the event, saying, “This alumni reception and panel discussion is a wonderful opportunity for generous humanities alumni to share with our current AC students how they have employed their humanities degrees in meaningful, fulfilling, and creative ways.”
The panel has been primarily organized and arranged by marketing interns Macey Johnson ’26 and Ella Owens ’25, further emphasizing the career engagement Austin College humanities courses can foster. “This event itself is the work of current AC humanities students, who are organizing and moderating this program,” says Wolnisty.
“Explore, Belong, Make a Difference: Humanities Alumni Share their Career Path Stories” is supported by the generosity of PATH and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s Humanities for All Times Project.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 44 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.