Katherine Nadeau, PhD‘18, English
High School English Teacher, The Academy of the Holy Family
Can you describe your career path and how it has led to your current work?
I began working on my PhD at Brandeis University one academic year after graduating from Rhode Island College with a B.A. in English. My goal was to become an English professor, so I taught as much as I could throughout my time at Brandeis in the writing program. I also tutored at the Writing Center. I could not get a full-time teaching job at the college level right after graduation, so I decided to take a full-time position in a small Catholic high school to see if I wanted to transition into teaching at the high school level. I am currently still seeking full-time employment at the college level and I am tutoring college essay writing online in order to stay connected to this field.
What services and/or resources did you use while at Brandeis for your career search? (i.e. The Center for Career and Professional Development, program administrators, professors, peers etc.)
I relied on my professors to help me in my career search.
What skills from your Brandeis degree have you found most valuable in your current work?
The knowledge I gained about literature and analysis while pursuing my degree is invaluable in my current position as I teach literature and writing courses, and I have also been able to model and adapt the teaching and mentoring strategies my professors used to help me. My time teaching at the college level is also very important in my current role as I know what will be expected of these high school students once they go off to college and I can better prepare them for what is to come.
What advice do you have for current students as they embark on their career exploration or job search?
Make full use of the resources Brandeis provides in your career search while you are there (this is something I wish I had done). I would also tell students not to be afraid to try new roles (in or outside of their field). Finally, I would encourage students to continue to pursue their career goals even if they do not get the position they want right away.