The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Post

As a CEO, my training and degrees in history are hands down the most valuable training I received. Unfortunately, it took me a long time to figure that out. While Patryk Babiracki, PhD and Jim Cortada call out Step 3 "Practical History" as perhaps the hardest - presumably because it requires challenging sacred beliefs in the discipline - I would argue Step 1 "spotlight superpowers" and Step 2 "get more tactical" are from an execution perspective the most challenging. Business and other professional schools are better at this because they have natural connections with industries they study. Instructors often have practical experience in their discipline. Practical experience in history though is almost always a different flavor of the academy. While it may seem small, the lack of regular organic networking and interaction with the private sector make identifying "superpowers" and "getting more tactical" logistically challenging or downright impossible given the demands of the average professor's career. In a given year, I may talk to dozens of business, technology, and education instructors through their outreach or just general course of my work. Ask me how many history professor interactions I have had in the past 12 years? If memory serves, two and those were ex-advisors more reminiscing on my time at their school or what I studied than what I do today. Here is my advice to history students or history curious students still deciding. The skills you learn are incredibly valuable, but only if you put the extra effort into discovering how to apply them. Talk to people in business. Ask them what their superpowers are then bring that lens into your history classes. My training in history is what sets me apart in business and entrepreneurship. I can do things that your average classically training business or technology professional cannot. My ability to rapidly analyze seemingly disparate data and information to uncover hidden truth and make decisions is a super power I learned at UNC History Department. My ability to craft a coherent story and narrative that is engaging and excites my team, investors, and clients is a superpower I learned at Brown University history department. In fact, I would trace the seed of that skill to a single class by Seth Rockman. It took me a long time to learn that I had these super powers and figure out how to apply them. There are easier paths to careers in business and technology, but sometimes the unconventional path is the one that can take you the farthest. The Chronicle of Higher Education American Historical Association #history #highereducation #businessleadership

Many undervalue the ROI of a history degree. ReUp's CEO, Terah A. Crews, highlights that the critical thinking, analytical skills, and narrative crafting acquired through history programs are invaluable assets. These superpowers enable unique perspectives and innovative problem-solving in the business world. To all history students and those contemplating the field: Your training can set you apart. Connect with professionals beyond your discipline, uncover your unique strengths, and creatively apply them in your careers. At ReUp, we're dedicated to helping every learner realize their full potential. #History #HigherEducation #BusinessLeadership #ReUp #LifelongLearning

It can be difficult for instructors and professors to convincingly argue for a history degree's ROI because, well, we stayed in academia. Adjusting courses and programs to more practically dovetail with technological and business skills would go a long way to creating and keeping history loving students in our programs. We know that studying history is valuable not just in the "it's good to know about the world" sense, but in practical terms as well. I love teaching the so-called "basic" 1000 level history courses because we are so often a student's first and last real course in history. It's an opportunity, and an obligation, to introduce those students to the skills of history, not just the content.

Great insight into on the value of a History major. The next step is to extrapolate that value across the humanities. Thanks Terah A. Crews for sharing your honest experience and challenging us in the academy to help our students understand the value of their chosen degree programs. #historymajors #studentsuccess #careerdevelopment

A very useful guide, although I would add that history professors should model the practices described in this article...as I have attempted to do in my career... https://lnkd.in/g-tszWv2

New data confirms what many have known for a long time now: 👉 majoring in the humanities confers significant advantages (employment, salary, career opportunities) over not going to college at all, and 👉 it offers similar advantages to majoring in any number of other things.

Interesting article by Sixthtone. For history majors, it would be interesting to see further data regarding the employment of that group of graduates.

Hot take: this is an entirely self-created #problem that was also quite preventable. I was an #engineering undergrad, but the bookshelves in my office are largely filled with historical works. Why? Because while I accepted the fact that a STEM degree offered better long-term options for employment, I pursued a passion for history by earning enough credits to possess minors in both #English and #History. I was fortunate to have #honest professors who were very blunt about the realities of the job market. That's not always the case, and there are many who will push students to pursue fields where meaningful employment is already difficult to find. If we want students in the humanities, as educators we need to demonstrate the ROI of those fields and help students find paths that allow them to chase their dreams and still have a job waiting for them at the end of the road. Then, maybe, we can end this national security challenge before it gets legs.

How to guide history students into rewarding nonacademic careers while demonstrating the importance of the field: 

Having an understanding of History, whether through a degree or self-development, is crucial. It helps understand the present, provides critical thinking skills, and an opportunity to learn from the mistakes of others. We should have a greater appreciation for history to ensure we avoid a more shallow worldview.