Amanda McCombs ‘22 is a double major in English and Special Education. She is pursuing a specialization in Digital Humanities through the English Department, and is a part of the HFA Student Leadership Board. She discusses what she enjoys about her experience as an English major.
What are your career goals/aspirations? What do you want to do with your English degree?
I am pursuing a dual degree with English and Special Education in the hope of becoming a special educator in a public high school. I am passionate about providing all students, including students with disabilities, with the skills they need to meet their academic goals and transition successfully to life after graduation.
Can you tell me a little about your experience as a double major? Why did you choose English to go along with Special Education?
I didn’t purposefully choose English in combination with Special Education. I came to UMass as an English major, then went through the application process for the Special Ed program. As I have studied the two disciplines beside each other, though, I have appreciated how they complement each other. English provides me with the critical thinking skills necessary to examine the public education system’s practices of equity.
Are you involved in any extracurricular activities at UMass?
I am on the executive board for the Humanities and Fine Arts Student Leadership Board, an RSO that plans various events for students across campus, such as a field trip to NYC, a student showcase of art, and publication of a literary magazine called The Scribe. My role is the chair of the Small Events Committee, which plans celebrations and activities within the RSO to form a community and provide an outlet for students to destress within their busy college schedules.
I have also been a member of the UMass Women’s Table Tennis team since my first semester at UMass. We have both a Co-Ed and Women’s team, and we have competed at many tournaments both through the USATT and NCTTA organizations, winning first place at several of them.
Why did you choose Digital Humanities as a specialization?
My mother actually extorted me to specialize in Digital Humanities. She was willing to pay half of my tuition only if I studied this specialization, because as a biochemist, she places little value on the humanities. This was a compromise for me to gain more digital skills and make myself more marketable in the job market. However, I did end up enjoying the classes I took, including two video games classes taught by Professor TreaAndrea Russworm and a class in which I learned HTML/CSS taught by Professor Janine Solberg.
Who is your favorite author?
I don’t have a favorite author because I’m a harsh critic and rarely enjoy more than one or two of an author’s books. Some of my favorite novels include Room by Emma Donoghue and This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel.
What has been your favorite English class so far?
My Digital Humanities classes have definitely been my favorite English classes.
Why did you choose to major in English?
I came to UMass as an English major because I have always loved reading and writing and the power of language. My favorite part about the English major is using the analytical skills I form to examine the texts around me and the subtle meanings that creators impose based on their word and image choices. Anything can be a text subject to dissection—a popular movie, a social media post, and the everyday conversations we have with our friends.
Written by DCI Sarah Mulcahy.