Alumnus Luke Richey believes being open to new experiences and change will help you decide your path — it certainly served him well in deciding his. When Richey started at UAB, he was on track to major in Psychology, but eventually found that he was much more at home in the English Department, working toward a degree in Professional Writing. Richey found classes with Associate Professor Jeffrey Bacha to be particularly memorable.

“Definitely listen to Dr. Bacha,” said Richey. “He is one of the best teachers! He teaches practical skills that really prepare you for both graduate school and a career.”

Following UAB, Richey was accepted to graduate school at Auburn University, where he earned a Master’s of Technical and Professional Communication (MTPC) and served as a Communications and Marketing Assistant at the Harbert College of Business. Currently, Richey is a Copywriter and Content Strategist at McNutt & Partners, LLC, a local ad agency, where he drafts copy for multiple clients on a myriad of social media platforms. The job allows him to not only be creative but also critically analyze a variety of different topics for a wide audience.

“Writing is like a puzzle,” said Richey. “I have to find the best words and phrases that are coherent and compelling to get people to take action. I would be bored to tears not getting the chance to be creative. I don’t know how others do it. I get to do what I love every day.”

This creativity has led to big opportunities. Though his English degree provided a great foundation, Richey has learned a lot on the job, from HTML to JavaScript to using the best tags in social media writing to get optimal views. In just the past two months, the team that Richey is a part of was able to onboard 30 new clients. Looking ahead, Richey hopes to eventually springboard his current position into being a creative or content director, managing a team. He advises current UAB undergraduates and graduates to also keep an eye on their future.

“When you graduate, you might not immediately get the job you want, but always look toward the future and your goals. Search for internships to diversify your skill set and make connections inside and outside of academia. Try to get as much as experience as possible, and be open to taking chances.”