Christopher Johnson

Assistant Director; Author, California State University, Los Angeles

Class Year

2003

Professional Background

After Duke, I studied English Lit at Cal State LA, and received a Master's Degree in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California. I worked full time as an associate story producer on multiple reality television shows before changing directions and entering the student affairs field. I spent several years coordinating campus activities and student development programs, and currently oversee Cal State LA's new student orientation, parent programs, and campus tours. I also self-published my first novel in 2013, and am currently working on my second.

How has being an English graduate from Duke University help shape your professional success?

My time at Duke left me well-prepared for graduate-level study in literature and writing, and alumni networking directly opened the door to an internship in entertainment law, which led to other networking and professional opportunities, and contributed to my time working in the entertainment field. In my current role, the written communication skills honed through my English degree serve me on a daily basis, as one of my roles as administrator is to prepare and/or review communications going out to new students, parents, and potential students. Being a Duke English graduate also made me an attractive applicant to the MPW program at USC, which further honed my creative writing skills and talents.

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