Out-of-classroom experiences lead UHCL alum to successful career

The popular notion is that an English literature degree results in limited career prospects but don't tell that to Peggy Papadacos.

Papadacos is one example of how the University of Houston-Clear Lake's approach to preparing students through applied learning and real-world experiences helps graduates turn their degrees into meaningful, high-impact careers.

Papadacos has built a highly successful career in the financial sector on the master's degree in English Literature she earned from the UHCL in 1997. Beginning with work at the UHCL Writing Center and through a university-arranged internship that focused on actual on-the-job application, Papadacos gained the skills, mentorship, and professional exposure that provided the foundation for her career pathway ever since.

Today, Papadacos is a senior manager of financial management systems and solutions with the financial, data, and media giant Bloomberg in New York City. While earning her master's in English literature, she worked in the UHCL Writing Center, where she sharpened her communication skills and gained confidence. Professors encouraged her to publish and present, providing her with a professional foundation that opened doors across various industries. A notable mentor was Craig White, Professor Emeritus of Literature.

Also, while at the Writing Center, she was recommended for an internship in the communications office at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, an opportunity made possible through UHCL's professional networks and student support system. Through that internship, she received advice that moved her away from what she thought she wanted to do and onto the pathway where, she said, she needed to be.

As the internship was concluding, "I kept applying for jobs in public affairs and communications but wasn't getting interviews or offers," Papadacos said. "My supervisor gave me some great advice then: Go into journalism and be a reporter. Using time on a newspaper staff to hone my writing and editing skills would make me a very valuable employee in the communications field."

It wasn't what she wanted to do, but she recognized it was good advice. Papadacos then became the almost one-person staff of a suburban community newspaper and was told that if she performed well in that role, within three months, the owner would promote her to be the editor of all three community papers the company owned.

She was promoted after just one month.

And everything took off from there. After a few years in that position, a friend told her about a communications position that was perfect for her and she got it. She moved on to other communications positions within the financial sector, then fulfilled dual communications and project management/change management roles, most notably with JPMorgan Chase for 24 years. She also spent two years with Citibank and joined Bloomberg in mid-2024.

She notes her unique skill set was an asset to advancing her career. "Communications and writing, as well as being a well-organized leader who can manage complex projects, became my forte," she said. "It made me a valued employee wherever I was."

UHCL's approach to supporting students also played a role, she said. "I earned my bachelor's degree at a very large university (University of Texas at Austin) and felt I was just one of many. It was massive, and I didn't feel like I got the guidance and direction I needed as an undergrad. It helped prompt me to go to graduate school.

"The smaller community of UHCL gave me so much more, not only from my professors but also from my fellow students, many of whom were working and were coming back to school."

The bedrock of what she learned in the classroom was then refined in the Writing Center and the internship.

"First, the Writing Center was pivotal," she said. "The camaraderie and knowledge we shared with one another were invaluable.

"Next, it was there (in the Writing Center) that I got the call about the UTMB internship. Without that internship and the guidance it provided, I don't know that I would have had the career direction that I've experienced."

For information about the UHCL Writing Center, go to https://www.uhcl.edu/writing-center/. For information about student internships, visit https://www.uhcl.edu/success-outcomes/internships.