Anna Carmichael

Bruce Tyroler ’80 speaks on campus Nov. 21.

“You don’t necessarily know what’s inside you when you’re studying,” said Bruce Tyroler ’80 as he talked Nov. 21 with students about what to study in college.

Like many other students, Tyroler, an English major, wasn’t sure what he wanted to do after he graduated, but he says his liberal arts education helped him to discover his passion. Today, Tyroler is the head of research for brand and multiplatform research management for Turner Broadcasting System.

Tyroler visited with students as part of a career conversation event hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences Career Services office. He said it’s common for students to study one thing and end up working with something completely different.

Turner Broadcasting System owns popular brands such as CNN and TBS. Tyroler’s team works on research projects centering on programs, advertising and marketing.

These projects take place before Turner makes big changes, such as redesigning the CNN website to make it more appealing to consumers. Before making this change, Tyroler’s team researched and received feedback from CNN viewers.

Tyroler may have graduated as an English major, but he uses statistics every day in his work and believes there is a link between the two.

“Math and music are connected. Music and poetry are connected. Doesn’t that mean that poetry and math are connected?” he said.

Tyroler urged students to take classes outside their major because they can benefit from them in the future. He also spoke of the importance of internships and networking, as well as an effective resume.

“[My] education as an English major prepared me really well. … I’ve found that across liberal arts majors,” he said. “[They] require analytical skill, thinking clearly and writing clearly.”

There are lots of people with technical skills, he said, but those skills are continuously changing and can be learned on the job.

The most important skill is “effective communication,” he said. “The most valuable thing to learn is how to learn.”

Shelby Holland ’18, who attended the event, said, “I now know that I need to search for internships to be prepared and ready.”

The College of Arts and Sciences Career Services office holds career conversations throughout the year to provide opportunities for students to interact with alumni in small groups to learn about career paths.

Anna Carmichael ’18 is a communications intern with the College of Arts and Sciences.