Careers & Alumni in African American Studies
Ever wonder about the careers for African American Studies majors? Find out what African American Studies majors can do after graduation.
Preparation for Careers and for a Meaningful Life
Our African American Studies students become experts in the the core set of skills at the heart of our liberal arts education. These skills prepare scholars for careers in any economic sector. Liberal Arts is everything you (and future employers) care about most:
- Writing and speaking with confidence and skill
- Critical thinking
- Quantitative skills and data analysis
- Celebrating human expression through the arts
- Navigating complex moral and ethical situations
- Engaging the power of your citizenship
- Discovering solutions to the pressing issues facing our world
African American Studies Graduates: A Breakdown of Alumni Career Paths
Our graduates work in many different sectors of the economy, with the largest percentages working in community non-profit organizations, business and financial firms, and higher education. Some recent alumni are in graduate school and law school.
Staff, Batesville Head Start
Associate Pastor, Fellowship Memphis
Chief of Staff, New America
Youth Organizer, ACLU of Wisconsin
Operations Assistant, UpRise Nashville
Corps Member, Teach for America
Client Advisor, BMW of North America
Center Consultant, Fed Ex
Marketing Manager, Lippe Taylor
Marketing Manager, Landmark Properties
Owner, PRDM Advertisements
Leasing and Marketing Manager, The Retreat
Digital Marketing Specialist, Google
Consultant, AT&T
Faculty, University of Virginia Department of Sociology
Project Manager, University of Kentucky Institute of Pharmaceutical Outcomes & Policy
Administrative Supervisor, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Faculty, University of Texas Early Childhood Education
Executive Sous Chef, Marriott International
Host, The Apothecary
Caregiver, the Arc of the US
Teacher, Westpoint Consolidated Schools
Recruitment Specialist, Chicago Public Schools
Teacher, Germantown High School
Teacher, Lowery Elementary School
Self-employed Author
Manager, The Madams of Excellence
School Programs Coordinator, Milwaukee Film
Meet a few Alumni
See a few examples of where an African American Studies degree can take you.
Jason Cook
Brian Foster
Melody Frierson
Brigitte Lewis
Career Center
We provide services, resources, and professional networking opportunities. We educate students in the exploration of occupational pathways and in the development of career readiness skills that prepare students to compete in the global market.
Alumna Amaya Franklin
This department is a special place because of the professors, who are incredibly talented and deeply empathetic. It matters to have people who can create community around students and lift them up in a way that stays with them past life after academia (or this particular academic setting). Professors like this create space for lifelong learning, and the space that they cultivate opens up the opportunity for nurturing lifelong learners and kind, good people.
B.A. African American Studies and Classics
Currently working with UM's Grisham-McLean Institute for Public Service & Community Engagement, Amaya has been accepted into the University of Virginia Ph.D. program in sociology.