Autumn Davis in Ellis Hall. Photo by Hannah Ruhoff
Autumn Davis (’01) took her English degree on a career path through publishing, marketing, public relations and sales until she found her passion in teaching.
“I’ve had many jobs, but the one constant is writing. My English degree has taken me across so many different career paths. I’ve never felt confined by having an English degree from OHIO; it has given me freedom without any limitations!” Davis states.
- Davis shared her story with English students during the college’s Career and Networking Week.
‘An English degree puts the world at your feet’
One remarkable benefit of an English degree is the vast amounts of reading and writing that students complete while they are enrolled at OHIO. “The literature that English majors read provides insights into other cultures, perspectives, and personalities, and because of that, there are no limits to what they can do,” Davis says.
She further notes that, as her own career path has indicated, English majors are adaptable, flexible people—key skills for today’s job market.
“Because English majors can write well, we can break down concepts and ideas that others cannot. An English degree puts the world at your feet,” she advises students. “Don’t confine yourself to an English-only field. You have a fantastic foundation. You really are highly employable! Employers will see your value.”
Autumn Davis. Photo by Hannah Ruhoff
When asked what she most loves about OHIO, Davis answers immediately: “The feeling of camaraderie. This really is a college town. Every time I visit, I swell with pride.”
When asked how OHIO prepared her for her career in marketing, publishing, and teaching, she again does not hesitate: “My English classes! They gave me a fantastic foundation.”
Davis earned a B.A. in English from OHIO, and in 2018, she graduated with a Master of Arts in Teaching, Special Education from Liberty University. She currently works as an Intervention Specialist with Ross-Pike Educational Service District in Piketon, Ohio. Prior to teaching, Davis was a staff writer with Brown Publishing Co., a marketing and public relations director for Pike Community Hospital, and a sales representative for Brown Publishing Co.
Throughout, Davis continued to build her skills in public relations, planning, writing, and graphic design.
‘The one constant is writing’
Originally a photography major, Davis describes writing as “an unintentional part” of her career path. At OHIO, she realized that she excelled in writing even more than in photography; she eventually changed her major to English. This switch opened up a broad, rich range of job opportunities.
Davis landed an internship at Brown Publishing while she was a student at OHIO. After graduation, she was hired as a staff writer and worked there for several years. In her next position, as a marketing and public relations director for Pike Community Hospital, “writing was constant,” she states.
These positions allowed Davis to familiarize herself with writing in a variety of genres and for a range of audiences, all while putting her English degree to use daily.
Davis’s career became even more intensively focused on writing in 2015, when she began substitute teaching at local elementary school. “I felt a real connection there, both with the school and my students,” she explains. She enrolled in graduate school and earned a Master of Arts in Teaching and Special Education, where her coursework focused heavily on writing.
Now, as a teacher of children with severe behavioral issues, one of her main forms of writing is the completion of IEPs, or Individualized Education Plans.
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