Missy (Rogers) Angolia is a Job Recruiter/Talent Guru for Incipio Workforce Solutions out of Louisville, KY. She graduated from Bellarmine with an English major and Theatre minor in 2004. Since graduation, she has held several different positions; a lead and trainer at Hard Rock Cafe, Grants Associate at the Louisville Metro Health Department, Public Health Representative for the East TN Regional Health Office, Heart of Danville Events Coordinator, and now her current position at Incipio. After moving from Louisville to Knoxville, she now currently resides in Danville, KY with her husband, Brian, their two year old daughter, Maddy, and Puggle, Winnie.
What other majors/minors/tracks did you have beyond English?
When I first began at Bellarmine, I was an Elementary Education major, then switched to a Secondary Education major with an English emphasis, and then dropped Education altogether after realizing teaching probably wasn't for me. I figured if I had a change of heart and wanted to get back into teaching, I could get my Master's in Education later, but haven't gone back to complete any further education at this point. I've completed several other trainings and certifications- from Grant Writing to Medical Transcription to Public Health certifications.
What is your current job?
As stated above, I am a job recruiter and talent guru for a small, Minority Women Business Enterprise Certified agency out of Louisville, Incipio Workforce Solutions. This position allows me to work from home, which is very helpful with a two year old. We help companies fill their open positions with the right candidate, and also help with their more difficult positions. We try to help troubled HR offices and get them back up and on stable ground. I speak to candidates and interview them, source for potential applicants, and ultimately help people obtain positions to help them better their lives; from warehouse to construction to elevator mechanics to enrollment counselors to retail positions. I've learned a great deal about other careers and types of companies from this job, and get to talk to a broad range of people with different socio-economic backgrounds and education levels.
In what ways was your degree valuable in preparing you for your career?
Growing up, my dad used to often say to me that as a Rogers, "we may not be great at one thing, but we're good at everything" and sometimes I feel that holds true for an English degree. While I may not have the expertise to be a doctor or an accountant or a whole host of other jobs with exact training and knowledge, I feel like I am capable of doing almost anything and doing it well. With an English degree, I have the skills necessary to read and comprehend and understand what I am doing, figure out what is being asked of me, and also find ways to do it more efficiently. I feel like I also gained a great deal of time management skills because, let's be honest, there is a massive amount of reading and writing necessary to be an English major, and you must balance your time wisely to accomplish every book, every paper, every presentation, every recitation, etc.
What was your favorite experience as an English major?
Although I wouldn't call it a favorite experience, per se, the one memory that will stay with me forever is sitting in Dr. Pfeffer's American Lit class when the news of 9/11 started hitting the airwaves. We didn't have such quick access to information in 2001 as we do now, so the whole class was just sitting there, attempting to continue learning and reading, while waiting for more news to come thru. If I recall, we made it through class, but the rest of the day was cancelled. It was an interesting experience in humanity and how people handle difficult situations, and one that is memorable for me, although not exactly a positive or joyous occasion.
Any advice for current majors or those considering an English degree?
The Oxford Comma saves lives! :)