College of the Pacific

Alumni Profiles

Faye Snowden, 2003 Graduate

I’ve been in Information Technology my entire working life and now hold the position of Telecommunications Manager in the university’s Office of Information Technology. Enrolling in the College of Pacific’s English program allowed me to explore possibilities in writing that I had not considered.

My most recent novel, Fatal Justice (Kensington 2005, 2006), was actually inspired by a creative writing class in poetry that I attended at Pacific.

Small class sizes and professors passionate about the art of teaching produce an environment where students are encouraged to express ideas and discover new ones. Incredibly, I had professors who took such an interest in me as a student that they helped me find ways to pursue writing outside the classroom. Having graduated from the program, I feel more prepared than ever for a continued career in writing and the masters program I’m attending now.

Mara Title, 2004 Graduate

My British Authors professor, Dr. Camille Norton, recognized my love for language and literature, and prompted me to consider changing my major to English. I’m glad she did. I remember how shocked I was when she told the class we could use the word, “I,” in our papers—something unthinkable in high school. It was my first experience of truly claiming my own thoughts and ideas in my writing. I had to stand behind my words that were suddenly thrust out into the open, which came in handy when I joined the forensics (debate) team. I had to listen to criticism from the other students, and rely on my own convictions to make a point.

In high school, I used wordy, unnecessarily long sentences to sound more intelligent. Naturally, I carried this with me into college. Sophomore year, my English professor at Pacific told me that although I had some provocative ideas, they became lost in a sea of confusing babble. He handed me a book that helped me focus my thoughts into cleaner, tighter sentences. I would write a paragraph, and then go back and cut out any excessive wording—like cleaning out the junk in a closet. It was difficult when I realized I couldn’t hide behind stuff and fluff anymore, especially when I had to read my papers aloud to the class. But over time I began to enjoy these sessions where we exchanged ideas, because I always gained a wider perspective on any given topic.

As a broadcaster in the Air Force, the scripts I write have to be clear, concise, and creative—precisely what I learned at Pacific. Some might say that English classes, as well as other classes in the Humanities, aren’t very, “hands-on,” and that with the onset of technology, these degrees are becoming less and less important. I would argue that the ability to convey thoughts and ideas is crucial in any profession, and the confidence I gained at Pacific led to an almost seamless transition into the Air Force.

L. G. Burroughs, 2000 Graduate

Right after I left Pacific I landed a job as a copy editor at a mid-sized newspaper, which morphed into a job reviewing books and film as the Arts & Entertainment Editor.

After a few years doing that I'm now working on my M.F.A. in Creative Writing at the University of Nebraska.

My concentration is poetry and I invite anyone who's interested to check out my  poetry blog.

My English degree has obviously influenced my career path, but more importantly there are certain outstanding professors who continue to influence my writing and the trajectory of my life.

The great education and relationships you'll build in the Pacific English department will serve you very well, likely in ways you have yet to imagine.