Major Opinions

More than a decade into their careers, five alumni assess the usefulness of their majors.

Name: Carol Morrison Willard '80

Home: Sturbridge, Massachusetts

Job: Art teacher, Tantasqua Junior High School, Sturbridge

Major: Art

Has it mattered? "I knew I'd be going to work in my father's lumber business, which I did for many years. Art enabled me to help in ways I wouldn't have been able to otherwise, like designing advertising. Now I tell students all the different ways art is used in business and for an income." Puts her major to use: Daily. "You should use the thing you're passionate about to earn a living be- cause you're going to spend so much time doing it."

Name: Amy Ladd '80

Home: Palo Alto, California

Job: Hand surgeon; Stanford University faculty member

Major: History

Has it mattered? "I thought I'd have a better chance of getting into medical school if I didn't major in science. I think my thesis, which examined Daniel Webster's efforts to get missionaries safely out of Syria, showed people I was capable of scholarly work. I'm known as a stickler for primary sources."

Puts her major to use: Doing research and writing papers such as her recent contribution to the Journal of the American Societyof the Hand, looking at the hand in historical, sociological and artistic context.

Name: Jay Matson '91

Home: Rockville, Maryland

Job: Energy regulation lawyer, Washington, D.C.

Majors: Government and studio art

Have they mattered? "Thanks to my government courses, I have an appreciation of various governmental constructs and a particular interest in Latin America. Thanks to studio art, I have an eye for colors and design."

Puts his majors to use: "Examining the heading, formatting and fonts used in documents produced by my office. If something looks good, you can focus on the substance."

Name: Scott Holland '70

Home: Grantham, New Hampshire

Job: Spent 20 years as a corrosion engineer with ARAMCO, Saudi Arabia

Major: Biology

Has it mattered? "Yes and no. With a good brain and a good education, you can do anything you want. I drew on my biology courses directly when I taught at a private school, but I also discovered a biological component in my later career."

Puts his major to use; "Digesting much of what is news today, whether cloning or stem cell research. Biology teaches you how to put information together like pieces of a puzzle, how to ask questions and think for yourself."

Name: Mike Davidson '85

Home: Lebanon, New Hampshire

Job: Partner, Home Partners, a contracting and real estate firm

Major: Government (international)

Has it mattered? "Between my studies and my semester in Spain I realized I wanted a job that would enable me to travel. When I heard about the World Trade Center, I understood what was happening in real time. I knew who Osama bin Laden was and what he was capable of."

Puts his major to use: "Reading and traveling. I've been to 40 countries since graduation. Working hard and playing hard was a lesson I learned at Dartmouth."