Vera Wang was the designer of choice for the Kardashians, Alicia Keys, and Mariah Carey on their wedding days. Even the first ladies Chelsea Clinton and Ivanka Trump wore Vera Wang gowns as they entered the church. Although Wang studied art history in college, she is now the CEO of a $1 billion corporation. Wang had a draw toward couture clothing while spending a year abroad in Paris.
After graduating, Wang was able to land a job at Vogue because to her liberal arts training and critical eye, and she later opened a bridal shop. What lesson may we learn from these unexpected majors? Leaders that are successful come from a variety of educational backgrounds. CEOs don’t always have a background in business, and IT entrepreneurs don’t always need a degree in computer science.
Therefore, bring up Susan Wojcicki and Alexis Ohanian the next time someone asks “What can you do with an English degree?” or “What can you do with a humanities degree?” After all, developing critical thinking skills is more crucial than understanding specific ideas. The former Hewlitt Packard CEO and presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina received her education in the unusual fields of medieval history and philosophy.
Tech CEO may not be among the occupations that typically require a history degree, but Fiorina’s academic background enabled her to comprehend the disruptive information revolution of the 1990s and 2000s. In a 2016 interview, Fiorina stated that having a degree was essential to her job. “I learned how to distill a lot of knowledge down to the essentials. That way of thinking has helped me throughout my entire life. I agree with those who say we ought to teach people about music, philosophy, history, and the arts.
