MSU Degree(s):  

B.A. in English 2020 

M.A. in English 2022 

Favorite memories of being an undergraduate English major:  

Some of my favorite memories from being an undergraduate and graduate English major at MSU involved the courses I took, the professors I had the opportunity to learn from and work with, and the friends I made during my time at MSU. I felt supported by the professors in the English Department and felt that I had mentors in multiple research areas. One specific memory that stands out to me is the unified feeling so many students had during Critical Writing and Research Studies as we were all being pushed to be better writers that created sound and convincing arguments. This course serves as a turning point for a lot of English majors as they mature and evolve as writers. I also look back fondly on courses I took with Dr. Marsh, Dr. Johnson, Dr. Atkinson, Dr. Claggett, and Dr. Vivier, as well as the two years I spent working with Dr. Ward as her research assistant.  

Current Position:  

Associate Production Editor 

Organization:  

American Public Health Association – American Journal of Public Health, Washington, D.C. 

When you graduated with a degree in English from MSU, what were your plans for your future?  Has your career path mostly realized those early plans, or have you discovered new plans and goals along the way? 

When I graduated with a degree in English from MSU in 2020, we were in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, so my plans at the time were to find a job or internship in publishing or event planning for an organization that was involved with the humanities. With the uncertainty of the job market during the early months of the pandemic, I ended up applying to MSU’s M.A. program in English and dove into the graduate-level coursework that was on another level of difficulty. My career path has been realized in the sense that I am now working in publishing at an academic social sciences journal, but I have discovered so many skills that I still want to incorporate into my career like creating digital media, social media marketing, and social media strategy. In the long-term, I hope to make a return to the humanities field in some way. 

What is your current occupation, and what does your work mostly consist of? 

I am the Associate Production Editor for the American Journal of Public Health. I help oversee the production of our monthly issues in order to maintain tight production deadlines as well as strategize on ways to reduce our production times, so research can be disseminated as quickly as possible while maintaining the utmost accuracy and consistency with both Journal and AMA style. I manage freelancers as well as co-manage our social media presence with my colleague, Katie Poe. 

Which skills that you learned as an English major do you use most in your job? 

Close reading skills, analytical thinking, and detailed communication skills are the most commonly used skills that I learned as an English major that I use in my current role. 

What additional skills did you need to learn in order to do your job, and how did you learn them? 

AJPH uses American Medical Association (AMA) style, so I’ve been learning the style since I started working at AJPH with the guidance of style guides as well as other production editors on our staff that have years of experience. I would recommend that English majors familiarize themselves with other styles like Chicago and AP as well. 

Are there common misconceptions about your career field, which current English majors might share, that you have learned the truth about?  

One common misconception or a potential oversight which other English majors may have is that focusing on large for-profit publishing companies as you are applying to your first job can be limiting as the competition between applicants for those positions is very steep. Looking at academic publishers can often expand the job options that students can potentially apply for. Unfortunately, not just your grades and experiences are what can help you land a job, but using your network is often vital to landing jobs in the current system. Don’t hesitate to get to know your professors, join organizations, and make connections as you never know what kind of opportunities can come your way. 

In what ways does your career enrich your life and help you to achieve your personal as well as your professional goals?   

My career enriches my life in the sense that our team helps produce research and opinion pieces that can have health policy impacts that promote health equity and access to care. The APHA and AJPH are committed to the health of all and work to reduce social and racial inequities in the public health system. Other priorities of the Journal are environmental justice, access to reproductive health care, sexual health, and gun violence research. Playing a role in producing articles on these topics is really rewarding, especially since many of articles are picked up by major news outlets and research organizations. 

What advice do you have for undergraduate English majors right now who might want to follow the career path you did? 

Don’t say no to or hold yourself back from opportunities you feel like you might be underqualified for. Put yourself out there and apply to any internships and jobs that interest you because all experiences can contribute to your long-term goals. During graduate school I applied to an internship with the MLA that I fully believed I wouldn’t get as I assumed I was competing with students who had more experiences than me or that were from more “prestigious” schools, but I took a chance and ended up doing well in my interview and landing the position! More often than not, I’ve regretted the things I didn’t do rather than the things I did, so don’t hold back. The more you apply the greater your chances are of someone saying “yes!”  

Feel free to reach out to me for any career advice as you are thinking about your career path! 

Personal Email: averykferguson@gmail.com