MARKETING IN THE

PROFESSION OF THE
HUMANITIES
James A. Reynolds

ENG-3143 Literacy and Rhetoric

Professor Kurlinkus
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... 2

RESEARCH PROPOSAL ....................................................................................................... 2

HUMANITIES AS A FIELD ................................................................................................... 2

STUDENT COMMUNITY ...................................................................................................... 3

FUNDRAISING .......................................................................................................................... 4
PERSONA ............................................................................................................................. 5
COMPETITOR VIEWS ................................................................................................................ 6
OUTCOMES ......................................................................................................................... 6
UNDERGRADUATE THESIS ................................................................................................... 6
COMPETITOR VIEWS ...................................................................................................... 7
OUTCOMES ........................................................................................................................ 7

ALUMNI NETWORKING ...................................................................................................... 7

TEA PARTY ............................................................................................................................. 8

COMPETITOR VIEWS ...................................................................................................... 8
OUTCOMES ........................................................................................................................ 8
PUBLISHING SEMINAR .............................................................................................................. 9
COMPETITOR VIEWS ...................................................................................................... 9
OUTCOMES .......................................................................................................................10
WORKS CITED: ....................................................................................................................................... 11

1
SUMMARY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The summary regarding Humanities as a field engages two key problemsthe student
community, and Alumni networking. The student community continues to lack a visible need
that allows the English major to receive the proper support and scholarship to obtain the greatest
performance possiblein contrast to other departments that are inclined in scholarship and
fundraising programs including science, law and engineering. Alumni networking in the
Humanities field continues to be an untapped resource that can heighten the campus spirit and
the English community as a knowledge base of inspiration. Creating an open forum of students
and graduates with ethical themes allows for greater synergy in the developing field of
Humanities.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

I plan to respond to key challenges by evaluating the student community and the alumni network
within OUs English department. Several tools will open up ideas towards needs within the
English field, which will be further analyzed by subject matter feedback. I approach the ideal
spaces, and future workshop ideas to provide greater visibility and solutions. By students
participating in surveys, and being a part of credit-based workshops will help establish more
opportunities at growing within the field of English and humanities. I use professional
individuals and research articles to build on solutions in addressing smaller problems including
within the student community as a whole, and the networking between alumni and the English
major.

BIG PROBLEM
HUMANITIES AS A FIELD

Amongst bridging the gap with new generational students and the evolving community of
Alumni, I am focusing on challenges that can be solved by fundraising, special research
opportunities within the English writing community, tea parties, and seminar studies programs
which offer direct feedback from Alumni in ways to establish presence in the field of English
and Humanities.

Statistics state that language skills within the office environment allow companies to retain
employees and prevent company decline. In a higher education online article, a writer mentions
similar statistical facts1. He quotes saying, regarding business, nearly 30 percent of executives

1Flaherty, Colleen. Language Study as a National Imperative. Inside Higher Ed. February 28, 2017.
Washington, D.C.: InsideHigherEd. Article Cache. Italics added

2
say theyve missed out on opportunities over a lack of on-staff language skills. [Colleen
Flaherty, Making the case, inside higher ed].

There are several arguments in analyzing the classical field of English. In the conservative
culture of America, Liberal arts is a steady declining field of interest. Although we normally
associate the English field as methods applied towards writing careers, teaching, and analytical
practices in diverse market, many are no longer interested in the demands of literacy and
rhetoric. Although this seems to be a standard necessity for students suffering from lower
employment rate, Max Nisan from Business Insider quotes in his article on ignoring haters of the
humanities2, If you look at a chart of post-graduate salaries, the liberal arts don't look very
appealing. But that doesn't tell the whole story. [Max Nisan, Major in the Humanities, Business
Insider].

We can analyze the dynamics of the English field by examining the contents of its college
website. The departmental website entails multi-media images displaying literary events and
news from professors who are involved in outside activities. Several branding statements are
made through these streams of activity such as marketing global Shakespearean festivals, and
film discussions on multi-cultural versions of classical English plays. These exclusive events are
what sets OU's English studies departments apart from other departments of study and continue
to brand the field through creating an academic environment of professors who serve in and
outside the classroom. Several professors also contribute from fields of journalism such as
Professor Johnathan Stalling who contributes to the English department and is also the editor-in-
chief of Chinese Literature Today which serves overseas as an economic source of English and
literary translation amongst those who use the language to communicate with English speakers
from China.

SMALL PROBLEM
STUDENT COMMUNITY

The student community at The University of Oklahomas English department can be supported
by several projects to prevent developing problems in enrollment, and sustaining professional
writing capabilities. As an evolving community, the department stands alone in key projects like
fundraising where often other departments receive higher support towards sponsored
scholarships, etc. In addition to building the perfect fundraising survey for English majors in
need, I have also focused on professional writing in the form of thesis preparation similar to the
English honors program at OU.

The problem I am challenging here is the lack of competitive representations of professional

research and writing many students in the English writing community lack. Something along the

2Nisan, Max. 11 Reasons to ignore the haters and Major in the Humanities. Business Insider. June 27,
2013. New York, NY: Business Insider, Inc. Online cache

3
lines of an English Dissertation as an undergraduate would help evolve the community as a
dedicated criteria paper reviewed by a board to heighten opportunities at becoming successful
graduate students in a particular field of English research. Social sites like academia.edu and
others that allow students to post research abstracts are examples of information hubs that
exemplify possibilities to advance as an undergrad with writing credits in the humanities. These
community followings can eventually be used for real professional research and literacy
initiatives that change the worlds literary culture creating a renaissance that modern culture
always looks for from its third and fourth generation.

SOLUTIONS: STUDENT COMMUNITY

FUNDRAISING

Fundraising is a way to build awareness and money around a particular need. In this case, the
need is collocated around the English major community. The purpose of marketing is to evaluate
the demand of the students who are in need without leaving them to be disadvantaged by
competitive fields of science, math, or engineering. Fundraising for the humanities or English
writers within a student community speculates that the literary community is being left out of the
sponsorship loop. During my research over observing a particular campaign on my campus
involving charity towards specific departments, several majors created visual brand statements
and unlike the English department, remained visible bearing symbolic ribbons on their buildings
to attract donators. The English department remained obsolete and came in fourth place in
raising money at the first annual Giving day3; behind Law, Engineering, and Tulsa-Campus
students.table one.

Table 1: Giveback fundraiser stats

Surveying as a research method

donation results between departments for understanding this question
$30.000 is a way to understand the needs
behind the student community
$20.000
majoring in the English field and
$10.000 Humanities as a profession.
Students are not created in a
$0.000
Law Engineering English Tulsa-Campus
vacuum, but have a dedication to
in analyze classical manuscripts
amount received N/A
and study language arts which
requires hours of space and
writing time. Many within the library halls and great reading rooms are logically inclined to be

3University of Oklahoma. ThousandStrong Giveback. University of Oklahoma Crowdfunding. February

28, 2017. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma. Online cache https://thousandsstrong.ou.edu/

4
considered for a consensus towards being counted as communities in need of these resources as
much as science, law or engineering students.

PERSONA
English students who frequent study halls dedicated to research writing and analyzing manuscripts within
the student community. As displayed in Figure 1, the
English student is in need of several elements, which are
key to developing a career in professional writing and
literature. As stated in the infographic, he or she spends
several hours developing key theories, studying literary
canons and building a bilingual ability to expand their
diverse relationships in the field of Humanities.

Figure 1: Persona: the English student in need

SUCH A LOGIC MODEL PLAN TO GENERATE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE WOULD FLOW AS

DETAILED IN TABLE 2 . With a total of four surveys dedicated to each small space where
English students gather, there will be a non-bias consensus gathered on the general needs of the
English community at large which will compete to gather more donors in comparison to other
departments including Engineering, Science, and Law.
Table 2: Logic model fundraising questionnaire

This survey will function survey survey soley on print budgeting and
travel costs that will be 1 2 limited to campus and
campus corner locations. great This survey budget will
writing
reading
center
fulfill the need of probing or room building a visual campaign
attractive to donors who wish to support a thriving student
community. By focusing on stacks at ellison accommodating, the areas
bizzell hall
where frequent studiers gather the survey will serve
survey survey
the greatest impact on a 3 4
small financial basis.

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COMPETITOR VIEWS

Reviewing the survey-questionnaire will reveal several isolated solutions that students and
professionals need to produce greater visibility as a student community who is in need. New
York Times article The Decline and Fall of the English Major4 analyzes competitor views as an
example. The journalist Klinkenborg quotes, they can meta-metastasize any thematic or
ideological notion they happen upon. And they get good grades for doing just that. But as for
writing clearly, simply, with attention and openness to their own thoughts and emotions and the
world around them no." [Verlyn Kinkenborg, The Decline and Fall of the English Major,
New York Times]. Solving the awareness gap between Law, Engineering and English students
will be important to this survey in its immediacy. Our cross-cultural vision needs a broader
perspective as Language arts and humanities requires more than just a second-place handout.

OUTCOMES

Greater visibility for Humanities students needing aid from donors

A greater outcome of donations from the campus community

KPI: GIVEBACK Scholarships available for English and Humanities students from the student
community

UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

The student community would lead a greater collection of research as English professionals that
could overall lead to a greater market value of writers who have not earned a masters or Ph.D.
There is an immediacy in the market for writers who value theory as a reviving topic in
contemporary America. Professor Vincent B. Leitch5 within English studies at OU is a writer on
several topics of theory and social identity who instructs the student community of English
majors. His thesis is the perfect example of this solution. To describes matters of theory and
socio-economic development in post-modern Americathere are more pros than cons in
allowing an undergraduate student to take a future course on developing a thesis paper and
defending their research. The student community would benefit highly as English majors with
interests in accruing honors criteria. Similar to the English honors department available to honors
students, acquiring this thesis project would provide the student community with opportunities to
heighten their composition performance ability to broaden their experience as a humanities
professional. Such a logic model of the course would flow as detailed in Table 3 as a sixteen
week dissertation course only requiring approval from a board of advisors and a competitive

4 Klinkenborg, Verlyn. The Decline and Fall of the English Major. New York Times. June 22, 2013 Sunday
Review. New York, NY: The New York Times. Online cache.
5 Subject matter expert. Analysis of theory and humanities as an economical study
http://cas.ou.edu/english-faculty-books

6
salary adjustment. Over the course of the three-credit hour semester, students will learn about
the teaching practicum, expanding a thesis paper with goals towards publishing for a specific
academic audience, learning how to market their
week1-4 week 5- writing for fellowship opportunities, and ending with a
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series of workshopping amongst a advisory board
thesis
teacher development towards finishing their final publication of the
biography & publication
goals dissertation.
TABLE 3: LOGIC MODEL undergraduate dissertation course
fellowship undergradu
opportunity ate advisory
board, This four-week dissertation course would only require
finished
week book week approval from the undergraduate board advisors and
10-13 14-16 professor adherance to any salary changes

COMPETITOR VIEWS

Several academic review journals require masters, or Doctorate level professionals to submit
functional articles and dissertations for review. Similarly, graduate professionals who get first
bids on fellowship opportunities can sideline several potential writers adjacent to the graduate
professional. The course will answer the question of why undergraduates deserve advanced
publishing opportunities. Undergraduates have such a small community that students rarely
know about accessible journals which their graduate peers benefit from often. This course would
function as a way to bridge the gap between researchers who seek development at all college-
professional levels.

OUTCOMES

Professional portfolios
Producing greater publications in the competitive job market
Meeting Graduate degree criteria in the field of studying Humanities at a masters level

KPI: publications printed and ready for distribution to employers, publishers, and archivist in the
student community

ALUMNI NETWORKING

Alumni networking is my second approach towards examining the problems with English as a
field. The campus at OU depends on not only a student community, but also those who have
accomplished their studies and have valuable assets to share. The field of English is visible by
Alumni communitieswhich under networking with students can bridge the gap in the problem
with English as a professional field. I examine possibilities of open discussion on campus where
Alumni and students from the English community can meet. Tea parties offer great environments
as a gathering at a round table where stakeholders can meet to share essential knowledge and
productive views. I also look at how the alumni could be used as a knowledge base via

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publishing seminars meant to engage students in the field of students to be productive editors of
their own publications.

SOLUTIONS: ALUMNI NETWORKING

TEA PARTY

Tea parties are often held in conjunction with formal people who address like-minded topics and
shared views. Tea parties are supposed to happen in creative spaces to build innovative ideas
within a focus group environment; this focus group being between Alumni and the English
student community. One of the professors in the English department promoted a tea party on
campus for the English students. His topic was Digital Humanities. A panel of Alumni multi-
media writers could meet the new student community and expound on shared ideals and ethics of
a post-undergraduate now working in the field of English and humanities. The ability to
communicate with Alumni allows the student to build a relationship.
TABLE 4: LOGIC MODEL Tea party panal discussion

Tea and open

readings discussion forum

COMPETITOR VIEWS

Functional departments outside of the English department often offer more upbeat events that
attract English students away from theories of around the humanities. Associating with Alumni
establishes a fragile network that can easily be disengaged by student organizations who use
outside ethics counter-productive towards the English major.

OUTCOMES

A growth in integrity and value for the accomplishments of Alumni in the English field.
More productive relationships with enrolled students and less dropout rates.

KPI: a growing professional association to the humanities, which will prevent less dropout or
major-changes amongst current students

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PUBLISHING SEMINAR

OUs English department has a substantial

Madeline Alford: Professional
Writing-Alumni graduate community including the above
persona profile graduate Madeline Alford
Glamour Magazine Harpers Bazaar
who serving in several professional writing
positions full-time will allow a grand opening in this seminar for student is pursing the same
field.

Publishing seminars should introduce future prospective writers to the market of research, and
literary development. Writing and publishing develops its best around workshop environments
with leaders in producing instructional programs for aspiring writers. With this in mind, subject
matter experts within the publishing field are future advocates for research workshops in
publishing seminars. Professor and editor-in-chief of World Literature Today Daniel Simon
spoke briefly about his logic on producing such seminars within the humanities saying, In
class, I often talk about how important it is for publishing professionals to have a broad liberal
arts and humanities background, including knowledge about the history of print culture, along
with proficiency in more than one language as well as the ability to think creatively and
critically, communicate at a high level, and collaborate with a team to accomplish ones editorial
mission. [Daniel Simon, WLT6].These details create a key persona of the English student who
rounds his skill at liberal arts and the humanities where outcomes such as event planning, digital
media and e-publishing become key achievements.

Such a logic model would flow as detailed in table 5.

A 16-week digital workshop with magazine
Design publishing, print, and editorial skill development.
Students will finish with a professional alumni
Edit
internship opportunity. Funding will be allocated
under adjunct faculty and alumni working salary.
Publish
This seminar will create a collaborative learning
TABLE 5:
LOGIC MODEL environment to accomplish the vital mission of any
publishing
seminar English major in marketing content across several
media platforms including e-book publishing, and
magazine publishing.

COMPETITOR VIEWS

Several competitors function outside academic integrity policies that often segregate students
from contemporary learning environments. Several guilds of New York for example promote
adulterated exhibitions were entry-level professionals and students cannot evolve.

6Reynolds, James. Interview with Editor-in-Chief Daniel Simon of World Literature Today. Publishing
Seminars and understanding the logic model. Subject matter expert interview. 2017

9
OUTCOMES

Acquiring an authentic magazine design portfolio and earning a placement in the field of
publishing
Professional internship experience with Alumni from several professional fields will
indicate success with this workshop.

KPI: increase in seminar enrollment and a greater retention of graduate professionals who return
as professional references and internship recruiters.

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WORKS CITED:
1. Nisan, Max. 11 Reasons to ignore the haters and Major in the Humanities. Business
Insider. June 27, 2013. New York, NY: Business Insider, Inc, 2013
2. Flaherty, Colleen. Language Study as a National Imperative. Inside Higher Ed.
February 28, 2017. Washington, D.C.: InsideHigherEd, 2013
3. Klinkenborg, Verlyn. The Decline and Fall of the English Major. New York Times.
June 22, 2013 Sunday Review. New York, NY: The New York Times, 2013
4. Reynolds, James. Interview with Editor-in-Chief Daniel Simon of World Literature
Today: Publishing Seminars and understanding the logic model. Norman, OK: The
University of Oklahoma, 2017 (Subject matter expert)
5. Leitch, B. Vincent. Analysis of theory and humanities as an economical study:
Undergraduate thesis. Norman, OK: The University of Oklahoma, 2017 (Subject matter
expert) http://cas.ou.edu/english-faculty-books. Online cache

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