Emily Vance, an English and Spanish double major in the Class of ’25, has a calm demeanor that belies a laser-sharp focus on her academic and career goals.
Emily wanted to major in English because it was a subject she enjoyed and performed well at. Concerned for her future, Emily’s mother told her she could major in English if she had a career plan. “So, I made a plan,” said Emily. “I can go into editing and publishing.”

So far, Emily has found St. Mary’s College the perfect place to put her plan into motion. In particular, she has found that internship opportunities – part of the Honors College Promise – abound at SMCM. “One of my roommates has a sustainability internship, I have [a writing] internship, another one of my roommates has this internship where she catalogs artifacts down at Point Lookout [State] Park,” Emily recounted. “That type of [internship] is so easily accessible here.”

Emily credits her writing internship with the Institutional Advancement unit at the College with helping her gain the skills she will need in the real world. “It’s broadly under marketing and communications, but there is editorial work,” she explained. “You’re taking this article and cutting it down to its bare bones, you’re changing it grammatically and doing shortened, new versions for something else.” She also likes the broad range of writing and editing assignments that have come her way, allowing her to hone different skills in her field. “All of my friends at bigger schools haven’t had the opportunity to do anything like that yet,” Emily adds.

Emily plans to continue her studies by earning a graduate degree before entering the publishing field. As a first step, though, St. Mary’s College turned out to be the right fit. “It’s affordable and I’m getting my money’s worth,” she concluded. That is an astute observation from a student who clearly has her future in mind.