Eric G. Wilson ’89 is the Thomas H. Pritchard Professor of English at Wake Forest University. He teaches courses in British and American romanticism and creative nonfiction and has published several books related to these fields.

“I was lucky to have wonderful teachers when I was at Appalachian. They not only prepared me for graduate studies, but they also showed me how to teach effectively,” Wilson said.

Both his parents attended Appalachian in the 1960s, so he was familiar with the area and knew they had had a wonderful experience. Initially wanting to study biology on a pre-med track, Wilson took an Intro to Literature class with Bill Ward, who he said “really set my mind on fire for poetry.”

Why should students consider majoring in English?

“First of all, the department is an exciting mixture of excellent teaching and distinguished scholarship. Secondly, the education they’ll receive will prepare them for a wide range of well-paying jobs and prestigious professional programs,” Wilson said.

“More and more, business corporations and nonprofits alike are seeking employees who are creative, articulate in both speech and writing, and capable of rigorous critical thinking. Of course, these are precisely the qualities you will gain as an English major. Likewise, professional programs, namely medical and law schools, are increasingly interested in recruiting English majors, who can bring, in addition to the qualities listed above, an expansive humanistic perspective to medical and legal issues.”