Soon-to-be novelist Jenna Schuster (’18) has gone from the Greyrock Review to the Motley Fool. She’s a content strategist for the financial and investing company and recently completed a graduate degree in fine arts in creative writing.
Schuster outlines the ways in which her undergraduate experience prepared her for success in both a Content Strategist position and her terminal graduate degree in Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Read more about her experience below.
What is your current job?
I am currently working as a Content Strategist at The Motley Fool. I get to brainstorm, create, and edit content all day.
What do you do outside of work (hobbies, volunteering, community involvement, etc.)?
Outside of work, I spend time working on my debut thesis novel, “The Middle,” which I hope to query for publication very soon! I also just wrapped up my terminal degree – a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing – at Regis University.
How does your liberal arts degree play a role in those?
My liberal arts degrees help me every single day in my role at The Motley Fool. I felt very prepared to enter the workforce with the skills I picked up at CSU. I’m also grateful for the Creative Writing workshops I took during my undergraduate degree as they prepared me to go further in my education.
What are you most proud of personally and professionally?
I’m incredibly proud of my time on the Greyrock Review staff at CSU, and still have the published 2018 edition on my bookshelf. Professionally, I’ve been published nationally across several publications. Most notably, I’ve written cover stories for Angie’s List magazine and a few articles for Forbes.
At the Motley Fool, I’ve been lucky to work on several rewarding projects that help provide financial education and resources to readers. These have included everything from crafting helpful and timely student loan content, to curating stories especially for our women readers, to even helping run our company TikTok account.
What story about your career or life would you like to share with other alumni and/or current CSU students?
The liberal arts department at CSU is incredible. Not only did I receive incredible support during my undergraduate, but following graduation, I maintained connections with several professors (Harrison Fletcher, Debby Thompson, Michael Humphrey, Stephanie G’Schwind, and more). Thanks to their references and guidance, I was able to get into my MFA program.
College goes by fast, but spending time building connections with the people around you pays off tenfold throughout your career. Ask for help, ask for advice, and see the amazing things that can unfold for years following your time at CSU.
The CSU Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts is a vibrant community of critical thinkers pursuing works of creative artistry and interdisciplinary scholarship within and beyond CSU.
